Remember that last night of 2019 when you were full of champagne and hopes for the New Year? You promised yourself that this year you would accomplish <insert goal here>! And then you shouted “Happy New Year” above the crowd to your friends, kissed your significant other or maybe a random stranger, and danced the night away. Well now almost mid-January, we’ve combed the glitter out of our hair and recovered from the hangover… How are you doing on <insert goal here>? Have you begun on working towards your goal?

 We set goals of all calibers each day. We set goals for ourselves because we want to become better versions of ourselves, perform to our best ability, and enjoy life to its fullest. There is a reason you set the goal to accomplish <insert goal here> that night. Respect that goal and do something about it! This year stop the cycle of resolving to make a change and then not following through. If your resolution is to take better care of yourself and get healthy, you will have a much better year if your resolution sticks.

Now that you have a goal let’s talk about some tips to help you accomplish it.

BE REALISTIC

The surest way to fall short of your goal is to make your goal unattainable. For instance, resolving to NEVER eat your favorite sweets again is setting you up to fail. Instead, strive for a goal that is attainable, such as avoiding it more often than you do now.

ASK FOR HELP

Accepting help from those who care about you and those who are willing to listen, strengthens your resilience and ability to manage stress caused by your resolution. If you feel overwhelmed or unable to meet your goals on your own, guess what… that’s what we are here for!

SET A DATE

One of the best ways to knock out a goal is to put it on your calendar. Do you want to run a half marathon? That’s awesome! But before you buy those pretty pink shoes, join a running team or even get off the couch, I recommend you just suck it up and sign up for the actual race. Set a date for yourself so you have something to work toward (not to mention paying for something really throws some skin in the game).

BREAK IT UP

Large goals can be very exciting, but quickly they can become very daunting. Instead of looking at that half marathon as a 13.1-mile run, start by planning to run 1 mile three times a week, and building up from there.

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

Keep track of each small success. Short-term goals are easier to keep and each small accomplishment will help keep you motivated. Instead of focusing on losing 30 pounds, focus on losing the first five. Keep a food journal to help you stay on track and reward yourself for every five pounds lost.  

BONUS TIP: REWARD YOURSELF

This doesn’t mean that you can eat an entire box of chocolates if your resolution is to eat a better diet. Instead, celebrate your success by treating yourself to something you enjoy that doesn’t contradict your resolution. If you have been sticking to your promise to eat better, for example, reward yourself with new fitness clothing or by going to a movie with a friend.