New Year’s Resolutions Out – Monthly Goals In

Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution and not kept it? Oh not you, you have always kept your New Year’s resolutions! Ha! Of course we all make resolutions every year but most of us can never keep them no matter how much we try.

But most of us truly want to do better and change something. Whether it’s to be more organized, lose weight, drink more water, eat healthier, learn how to knit, and so forth. So why do we fail?

Because 365 days to keep a resolution is too long. It’s impossible.

Our brains can barely think about what we are doing next week, let alone what we are doing 6 months or 12 months from now!

So how can you set goals and make them count?

Instead of setting a yearlong resolution, set monthly goals!

At the end of each month, pencil time in to sit down, uninterrupted, and write down a few goals for the following month. The sweet spot is 3-5 goals. No more. No less.

You don’t want to be overwhelmed so that you won’t work hard to achieve the monthly goals and you don’t want to be underwhelmed so that you get bored.

Work hard! Make Changes! You can do this!

At the end of the month go back to your goals. What did you complete? Highlight it! Did you fail at anything? You can make notes on anything that you really struggled with and why. Now make your goals for the next month!

Here are a few goal tips:

• Don’t set unobtainable goals. 
• If you have a big goal you would like to complete by the end of the year, break it down into smaller monthly goals.
• Write your goals in a binder but copy them onto a piece of paper you can hang on your fridge or somewhere you will see them daily.
• Use tools to help achieve your goals. (Ex. Looking to drink more water? Purchase Hydrate labels for your planner to track your water intake! Looking to walk an extra 1,000 steps? Use your FitBit to track your steps)
• Every day of the month is a new day to complete your goal. Didn’t get those extra 1,000 steps today? That’s okay, tomorrow is a new day! Keep going!!

Remember to Work hard! Make Changes! You can do this!