The turn of a new year is an exciting time to be out with the old and in with the new. It’s a great turning point for improvement, change, and goal setting. Did you have a resolution for 2020? If yes, how is it going.
I read an article that mentioned most New Year resolutions are forgotten, or given up on by February. It certainly makes sense to me. Lasting change requires planning and mindset change. In my opinion, you even have to plan for how you will behave when you plan to revert back to old habits. In a nutshell, we need to have a plan to help us not self-sabotage.
Back to the February statistic…When I read the article, it prompted me to think back on my past new year resolutions and I questioned myself about success. Truth is, last year in 2019 my goal was to try vegetarianism for at least 6 months. Guess what? I failed! By the end of March, I was dreaming of chicken wings and my hair was shedding and that was the end of being vegetarian. I had not properly researched and prepared for the mindset change that would make me successful. I also had to be honest with myself and question why I was really choosing to make such a change.
This year, 2020, I did not set a “resolution.” My “goal” is to make improvements in personal and professional life. I decided to do specific, measurable tasks to help me evaluate my improvement, or the lack of improvement. I also decided to focus on just one aspect at a time. So far, so good!
When it comes to weight loss and wellness, I suggest choosing a small goal and specifically measure your progress. For example, the ultimate goal can be weight loss, but set a weekly goal to replace junk food with 2-3 servings of veggies of fruit. Imagine that! Perhaps by day 7 you would have eaten more healthy foods than unhealthy, processed foods.
Remember that small changes can produce lasting effects.