New Year's Resolutions: Setting Yourself Up For Success

New Year's Resolutions: Setting Yourself Up For Success

As we enter the new year, it's time to rethink the traditional "all or nothing" approach to New Year's resolutions. Often, we set big goals like daily gym visits or complete dietary overhauls and no sugar.

However, when we miss a gym session or indulge in a treat, the entire endeavour feels like a failure.

This mindset not only sets us up for disappointment but also ignores the deeper intentions behind our goals: seeking lasting happiness, health, and fulfillment.

To make our resolutions more clear, more actionable, and more sustainable, let's adopt a focused approach that prioritizes emotional and behavioural changes over strict outcomes. Grab a pen and paper and let’s get started!

Step 1: Clarify Emotional Objectives

Reflection Point: Identify the specific feelings or states of being you wish to feel this year. Is it to feel more energized, content, or perhaps more at peace?

Pinpointing what emotions you wish to experience more of will guide your choices and actions throughout the year.

Actionable Steps:

• Write It: Jot down these emotions in your journal.

Step 2: Define Actionable Behaviors

Once you've established the emotions you're targeting, select behaviours that are known to create these feelings.

For instance, if your goal is to feel more energized, consider actions like regular physical activity, improved sleep habits, or better nutrition.

If the goal is to be happier, consider actions that make you happy like getting into nature, listening to good music, or spending time with friends.

Actionable Steps:

• Define Specific and Achievable Activities: Choose concrete, manageable activities that align with your emotional goals. For example, if better health is the aim, specify "take a 15-minute walk 2x per week*" instead of the vague "exercise more/lose weight"

• Write It: Write down the activities in your journal under the corresponding emotion that doing it elicits from Step 1.

• Incorporate Gradually: Integrate these activities into your routine in a realistic, gradual manner. Acknowledge that consistency* is more impactful than intensity.

• Schedule It: Schedule these activities into your calendar.

*Make it achievable and make it gradual, for example, start with a 15-minute walk 2x per week as the baseline, once you get consistent, bump it up.

Step 3: Implement and Adjust

As you progress, regularly assess and adjust your actions. Life is dynamic, and your approach should be too. This isn't about rigid all-or-nothing adherence to a plan but rather about making continual progress toward how you want to feel.

Actionable Steps:

• Regular Check-Ins: Set weekly or monthly times to review your actions and their alignment with your emotional goals. Are the activities making you feel the way you hoped?

• Adjust as Necessary: Be prepared to modify your behaviours if they aren't meeting your needs or if circumstances change. Flexibility is key to long-term success.

• Schedule it: Add these regular check-ins to your calendar.

Conclusion

By focusing on clear, emotionally driven objectives and defining specific, adaptable behaviours, New Year's resolutions can transform into a meaningful path toward personal well-being.

This approach helps foster a sense of progress and adaptability, making the journey towards your goals a more positive and rewarding experience. Here's to a new year filled with clarity, growth, and contentment!

P.S. Exciting news is on the horizon!

We're gearing up to reopen enrollment for our Revive Health Community. Keep an eye out for updates and get ready to be part of something special.

Sincerely,

Victoria :)