It seems nearly impossible to find home gym equipment at the end of December and into January. By the middle of February, places like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are flooded with “lightly used” weights, bands, and yoga balls. This has become such a trend in the last few years that the official “Ditch New Year’s Resolution Day” is celebrated on January 17th. Making major changes is difficult, and making those changes long-lasting is even more so. Starting the new year off right and reaching your goals is possible – especially if you set yourself up for success in advance. The goal of this blog post is to give you the tools you need to set New Year’s Resolutions that actually stick. We will cover:
- What makes a good goal
- Where to start
- How to stay inspired
- The importance of taking care of yourself
We made a helpful goal-setting sheet to use when you begin making your New Year’s Resolutions. Be sure to check out this free resource at the bottom of the page!
Setting good goals
Before you begin to carry out your New Year’s Resolutions it is important to have a solid foundation. Ask yourself, “Why do I want this?” Take some time to clearly define why this particular resolution is important to you. Once you have your reason. It is time to start setting your goals. Setting goals that at specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART for short.) What do each of those mean and what do they look like? As we break it down, think about how each of these steps applies to your goal. Feel free to journal along with this exercise.
Specific
According to Statista.com, the most common New Years Resolution is “Doing more exercise or improving my fitness.” So many people want to achieve this, but the goal is too general. To achieve your goals, you have to add yourself to the equation. How can you make this goal more specific? Instead of saying “I want to exercise more,” try defining what that looks like and to what end. A more specific goal would be “I want to consistently work out 3 days a week for at least 30 minutes.” or “I want to be able to run a 5k in less than 40 minutes.” These kinds of goals are active and specific to you.
Measurable
In the day-to-day hustle and bustle of life, it is easy to lose track of how the progress you are making with your resolutions. Making goals measurable is a great way to stay mindful of where you want to be, plus where you have grown. If your goal is to consistently work out 3 days a week for at least 30 minutes, track on your calendar the days that you have worked out. Make a checklist or keep a journal to document your goal and your journey. It may be helpful to write what exercises were difficult for you. Regularly look back on older journal entries to see how far you have come.
Achievable
Let’s be real – if you have never lifted weights before, you aren’t going to be able to bench 200 pounds in your first sitting. Choose to be realistic with what you can do right now. Be open and honest with yourself about what you can achieve now versus what you will achieve later. This also keeps you safe from overexerting yourself or stressing yourself to the point of poor mental health.
Relevant
This category is pretty straightforward. If you are wanting to improve your physical fitness, but hate swimming, then don’t include swimming in your workout routine. Your goals should be relevant to you, your interests, or your career choices.
Time-Bound
There is nothing quite like a deadline to help keep goals in check. Having a time frame that you need to achieve a goal can help keep you on track. It is even more helpful if there is a timeline you have to be accountable to (like a race or event you have paid to participate in.) Time-bound rewards are also helpful to keep you on track. This could look like a new shirt after working out 3 days a week for one month or going on a nice vacation after staying consistent for a whole year. Whatever you choose, make these rewards something that motivates you.
Start Small
“The Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu
More often than not, New Year’s Resolutions require big changes, but the motivation, steps, or execution is not clear. This is a perfect setup for your goals to crumble in a matter of weeks. No one is a master of handling big life changes, which is why starting small and building to where you want to be can make the process significantly easier and, more importantly, sustainable. What does this look like in practice? If your goal is to run a 5k race by June, start by walking a mile. As you become accustomed to the physical activity, see if you can decrease the amount of time it takes you to walk the full mile by speeding up your pace. Continue this incrementally until you are where you want to be for your goals. Some days will be harder than others, and this is why finding inspiration to carry you through is crucial to maintaining your goals.
Staying motivated and inspired
Motivation tends to come and go in waves. While the things that motivate each individual are different, there are some things that you can do to help sustain yourself during the times where apathy, boredom, or lack of inspiration make pursuing your goals extra difficult.
Ask yourself – “what inspires me to achieve my goals?” Here is a quick list to get you thinking:
- Creating beautiful art
- Feeling good after I eat
- Seeing new muscles appear after my hard work
- Being able to run further than ever before
- The mental health boost of being off social media
- My best friend who works out with me
- A trip I’ve always wanted to take
- My family who believes in me
- A coach who pushes me because she knows I can do it
- That I am making a positive change in my community
- Kind words from my spouse
Did any of these resonate with you? Finding your motivation and maintaining it can be difficult, and feelings of motivation will not always be there, so finding inspiration and your purpose for your goals is crucial. Keep these motivations and your goals in places you see every day. This could be a sticky note on your fridge, your lock screen on your phone, or a mood board hanging in your home. This small change helps to keep your goals at the front of your mind, which will help you stay focused and on track with your goals. It is also helpful to have a friend or family member to be accountable to – maybe they will even want to participate with you in your goal!
We made an entire post dedicated to motivation – feel free to check it out here!
Practicing self-care
No one is perfect. Everyone has bad days. When making New Year’s Resolutions it is essential to consider this and create a space for these days to happen. Restlessly pursuing your goals at the expense of your mental state is a recipe for disaster. While you are focusing on achieving your goals, take some time to care for yourself. Love yourself, even on the days where you didn’t meet a goal. Stay within your exercise limits when working out so you don’t have to nurse an injury. Take time to do things that you love that aren’t related to your New Year’s Resolutions. Having a holistic approach like this can help you reach your goals while maintaining positive mental health.
The Mental Aspect
It is important to recognize that a lack of motivation and a loss of interest or pleasure in your goals is a sign that something is not right. Depression and other mental illnesses can make achieving goals daunting for some or seemingly impossible for others. If goals that previously motivated and excited you are not sparking something within, it may be time to visit a mental health expert. Reach out to if you:
- Have little interest or pleasure in anything in life
- Your sleeping and eating habits have changed dramatically
- You feel sad, hopeless, or irritated more often than not.
We hope that this post helps you set great New Year’s Resolutions that you can stick to beyond January 2022! If you have something that helped you achieve your goals, feel free to share them in the comments section.
