Making your New Year's Resolutions come true!

I love New Year's Eve!  I love the anticipation of a new year full of adventures and excitement! Triumphs and achievements! ....and of course there's always the defeat.  The worn-down, beaten-up moments when we break yet another New Year's Resolution.  Many of us are so defeated we just don't make ANY resolutions.  But the problem is not the resolution itself, it's the plan behind the resolution.

Here are my tips for creating a New Year's Resolution that will not only be a SANITY SAVER (especially from nagging guilt!) but also help you succeed:

1. Create a SMART resolution.
     SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Ambitious, Realistic and Time based.

Let's take for example the Resolution for weight loss (VERY popular).  You could simply say your Resolution is to "Lose Weight" but that is a very broad goal.  How much?  How little?  When? How?  By using the SMART method you can expand you resolution to include an actual plan you can follow.
SPECIFIC: "My Resolution is to lose 20 pounds and fit into my old jeans again."
MEASURABLE: Losing weight can be measured by a scale.  Also measured by whether or not you can fit into those old jeans.  A different Resolution may need tweaking in order to be measurable.
AMBITIOUS: If you are 200 lbs overweight, only losing 20 lbs doesn't sound very ambitious.  If the Resolution doesn't push you to achieve or it is achieved too quickly and easily you won't experience the rush that comes with conquering your mountain.  However ambitious is different for everyone.  You could be 500 lbs overweight and even losing 10 lbs would be a mountain for you.  Take some time and really consider what would stretch you, not break you. {Note: consulting a doctor to determine the proper amount of weight loss for your height, gender and health factors AND the proper time frame to complete this weight loss is a MUST!!} 
REALISTIC: If you a 6'1" woman, without heels on, and have a goal of weighing only 120 lbs, this is not realistic.  You would be so thin you would blow away in the wind!  Though this goal may be ambitious, it is not realistic.
TIME BASED: Pick a date and stick with it! Don't keep pushing it off.  Set a time a place for a big revealing weigh in and just do it!!

2. Include people. 

In order to be successful you need to have support.  You need others checking up on your progress, encouraging you and offering helpful advice.  It is up to you who you "let in" on you Resolution.  Choose these people wisely.  You may even choose people who don't know about the Resolution.  Such as asking your neighbour Christy to go walking with you every Wednesday.  She doesn't know you want to loose 20lbs but she'll know when you don't show up at her place on Wednesday.

3. Create a list of what you need to do and add it to your schedule.

You can make a goal as specific as you'd like but without a way to incorporate it into all you have to do in a day it will never be achieved.  Jot down all you need to do to accomplish your goal then add it to your schedule.
To lose weight: -exercise three times a week for 20 minutes each time
                       (add "walk with Christy Wed." and  "swim with Sue Sat." to schedule)
                        -eat healthier
                        (add "seach online 'healthy recipes' Fri" and "throw out candy drawer  
                          TODAY!" to schedule)
You may need to do research to figure out how to complete some of your jotted down items.  I suggest the internet as a great tool and close friends.  Somehow we all know that person who has "been there, done that".

4. Motivation!!

This truly is key.  On those days when you just don't want to do it.  When you just CAN'T do it anymore.  You NEED that person.  That thing.  That keeps you going.  Maybe you allow yourself a cheat day.  Maybe you make a call to your Mom.  Maybe you just need someone to listen to how hard you're working and just have them say "You're doing a great job! Keep it up!!".  For myself it's music.  I need to listen to wonderfully upbeat cheesy dancing-around-your-whole-house kind of music.  It brings me back to me.  It takes me out of the downy dumps (yeah.  I said it.) and brings back the focus.  The reason WHY I want to complete my Resolution.

Why do you want to complete this Resolution?  What is driving you?  Tape it to your morning mirror.  In picture or in words.  To remind yourself "why".

Good Luck!

Have a Happy and Healthy 2013 

I pray God blesses you and your family this year and every year after!