New Year New You
I love the concept of setting goals. However, when it comes to New Years resolutions, people often set themselves up for failure.
"I'm going to go to the gym everyday"
"I'm going to eat less sugar"
"I'm going to lose x amount of pounds this year"
"I'm going to be more organized"
Sound familiar? You start out strong- and finish the first week or maybe even the first month of the new year feeling great. But then life hits- you get sick, family issues, vacation, a global pandemic, and you fall off the wagon.
But what if this year you actually achieved your resolution?
The key is setting achievable goals. How do we do this? Here are some things to keep in mind.
Know your limits
There is nothing wrong with setting the goals listed above. However it is important to know your limits. If you made a resolution to go to the gym everyday but you haven't ever set foot in a gym, that might be a little too much too quickly. A better goal to start out might be to get a gym membership or to go to the gym once per week. Know and be honest with yourself about your limits so that you don't bite off more than you can chew.
Define it!
"I'm going to eat more vegetables." What does more mean? And of what vegetables? Make sure you are clear- this will help in understanding whether or not you are actually achieving the goal you set.
Be flexible
Set goals with flexibility in mind. This parallels the 'realistic' in SMART. Don't make goals that don't allow for life to happen. Be flexible! It's okay to take a day.
For those of you that like to see things broken down, you could also use the SMART format. SMART stands for:
S-Simple
M- Measurable
A- Attainable/achievable
R- Realistic
T- Timely
Setting goals in this way helps you to set simple, realistic, measurable, and achievable goals!
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