It’s tempting to get caught up in the New Years Eve atmosphere; parties, bubbles, sun and the excitement a fresh start brings to each new year and what you imagine you will achieve, start/stop doing. For some its financial goals, career, health, fitness, weight loss, decluttering or finally making that dentist appointment you’ve been putting off for 6 months.
That excitement lasts as long as the holidays, for some a couple of weeks or months even. Maybe you’ve given your NYR a red hot go and good for you! But it’s only a matter of time until that new year motivation dwindles and you are left with what seems to be hard work.
Here’s the problems with NYR:
- It’s a shopping list of to do’s that is added to an already long list of list of to do’s. If they are not scheduled in a diary they don’t get done.
- Usually resolutions are things you have been putting off because there is an element of fear involved. As time goes on the fear builds therefore you find clever ways to procrastinate and tell yourself it’s not the right time (or you wouldn’t have waited until NY to start doing it right?)
- Tend to be vague undefined and fluffy e.g.: I’m going to travel, work out, eat healthy, relax, see friends, read, earn, save more or spend, smoke, stress out, bite my nails, watch TV less. All smoke no fire.
What to do instead:
- Review the year gone by and acknowledge your accomplishments/skills you have developed. Sometimes we can get a so obsessed with wanting more and the next thing that we dismiss what we have already achieved. Stopping to smell the roses can be just as satisfying as ticking off an item from that to do list.
- Select resolutions with a win/win outcome. Ones that have many benefits along the way even if you don’t reach the end goal. Take weight loss for example: even if you don’t lose 10kg the benefits of diet and exercise are plentiful- meeting new friends at the your local Pilates/Group Training studio (aka Eat Play Thrive), feeling better about your body and improvements to health.
- Rate how much you want this new resolution 1-10. Anything under 7 is not going to give you the drive to preserver to the end. Think what you have to give up in order to achieve your goal/ resolution and consider if it is worth it.
- Planning and action to make it happen. Sounds simple doesn’t it? When you have clarified why you want it so bad it makes this part easier because you are compelled to make it happen. Ensure you are engrossed in the action taking part every day, visualise achieving it, talk about it, journal your progress, planning for that day to come. There are a few apps that may help with this: me
- Use the stick or carrot approach. This could be a reward of holiday or new wardrobe or little wager among friends risking public humiliation. A large donation to a charity that doesn’t agree with you if you do not reach your target. Check out SticK
Monika is offering a New Year New Body package including 4 sessions of weight loss hypnotherapy and bonus 2017 motivational goal setting session. Book your free 30 min consultation with Monika online or call 95715710. Offer ends Jan 28
Article by Monika Polemicos