We all know the people who set crazy goals and seem awesome at the end of the year...just to follow through with them for about a week before giving up. Gyms are more crowded than ever during the first week of January, but once February rolls around, the crowds die off and people say, “maybe next year!” If this sounds like you, it used to be me too!
For a long time, I set unrealistic goals for myself that I could never follow through with. Now, I like to spend time at the end of each year evaluating what I have accomplished and setting goals to make small but lasting changes in my life for the better. I take quiet time alone to really reflect on what aspects of my life I need to re-examine, and I set 3-5 meaningful goals for the new year. It is important that these goals are attainable, which is why I follow these rules when I create my New Year’s Resolutions.
Before you even begin setting goals, it is important to evaluate where you are starting. Think about all that you have achieved in the last year. Be proud of progress! Looking back at old goals from years past could also provide valuable insight as to how you have grown. Don’t discount small changes, because over time they add up and create huge differences. I think having benchmarks to goals can be the best way to follow through with them. I break bigger goals down into smaller pieces so that the goal doesn’t seem as daunting, and I can celebrate small wins along the way.
Create attainable and measurable goals. Setting specific numeric values give goals their shape and size. For example, instead of making a goal to save money, add a numeric value such as saving $500 each month. This helps track whether you are meeting that goal and gives you a number to reach for as you work toward achieving it. If your goal is to stop procrastinating, you could change that to spending 20 minutes at the beginning and end of each day writing in a planner. Changing goals to fit numeric benchmarks makes them much more attainable.
Having a positive mindset is vital to setting good goals. Remember that change is possible! Improving just 1 percent every day means that in a year you will be 37x better than when you started. Create goals that you are passionate about! If you hate running, don’t set a goal to run each day. Create goals that you are excited to crush. Each year, I always set a goal or two about fashion. Halftee gives me so many opportunities to set goals that I am passionate about. Integrating modest fashion into your wardrobe is one goal that could start the year off strong! I have set goals in the past to wear one item each day that I haven’t worn in a while or forgot about in the back of my closet. This has given me so many opportunities to layer with my Halftee’s and try some of our newer styles of tees to create a whole new wardrobe out of the clothes I already have.
Lastly, reward yourself when you accomplish a goal. Giving myself incentives to meet my goals helps me when I feel unmotivated. Some of my favorite rewards are going out to dinner, treating myself to a self-care day such as getting my nails or hair done, or getting myself flowers. I also share my goals with my family and friends so that they can hold me accountable, and it is so fun to celebrate my successes with the people I love.
New Year’s Resolutions don’t have to be something dreadful to dull the excitement of the new year. It is a great opportunity to refresh and reset, but also to look back on how successful the last year has been. I look back with so much gratitude in my heart for the last year. Halftee, my family, my friends, and so much more to be thankful for this new year! Cheers!
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