Every year do you find yourself losing motivation or not following through with your New Year’s resolution? Well, this is a new year and you have made new resolutions, so here are a few tips to make sure you stick to them!
Make your goal realistic.
Sometimes when you set a big goal it is hard to see results, the light at the end of the tunnel. Go for the big goal, but it might be easier if you make smaller goals so you see success along the way to encourage you and motivate you to continue.
Make a routine.
Depending on your resolutions make a routine. When you are trying to eat healthier, workout more often, or reach your push-up goal, make a schedule. Get into the habit of working out every morning or every day before dinner. Get in the habit of packing your lunch the night before so you cannot use the “no time” excuse. Dedicate Sunday or Saturday morning to cooking in bulk for the week. Therefore, when you have a busy day and cannot cook you still have a homemade healthy meal.
Remind yourself.
Make an inspiration board to help remind you of your goals. Want to get healthier? Make it full of workouts or healthy foods and inspirational quotes. Trying to swear less or be more positive? Fill a board with alternative words that reflect the language and attitude you want to have.
If you’re trying to simply trying to enjoy life more or be a nicer person or take life day by day, live slowly and enjoy each moment create a board with inspirational quotes or pictures to remind you. These could be pictures of things you enjoy doing.
You can carry physical reminders with you, too. Wear a new bracelet, and tell yourself you’re putting it on for a specific reason. When you see it, it’ll give you a friendly reminder of your resolution. Not into jewelry? Change the background on your phone to a quote or a picture to that reminds you of your goals. We are always on our phones, so you’ll be sure to see it! And hey, if your goal is it limit your phone use, then put a big X or stop sign on your phone screen. Need a more jolting motivator? Set alarms on your phone with titles that remind you to eat an apple, do 10 push-ups, or take 3 deep breaths and remind yourself to take life moment by moment.
Set a time limit.
It is much easier to achieve a goal when you set a time limit. For example, say you want to be able to run 5 miles by spring break, you won’t eat out for 3 months, or you will do three acts of kindness per day. Quantifying your goals eliminates any doubts about what you want to accomplish.
Reward yourself.
Every time you cook a meal or are able to do one more push up, put a dollar in a jar. This is a great way to save money – and you can spend it on a bigger reward later. Or if you finish your goal early tell yourself you’ll reward yourself with a massage, your favorite restaurant meal (Skyline Chili would be mine), or even a pricy studio workout. Incentives are a great form of encouragement.
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