New Year’s Resolutions – Time to Set Goals

Are you making resolutions? Many of us are and resolutions can be hard to stick to. Is there something you’ve struggled with the last year? Do you want to lose weight and exercise more? Budgeting and Saving money tend to be on a lot of people’s lists. Do you want to read more? Or spend more time with your family? While the list could be enormous, pick just a few that really resonate with your soul and make a plan.

I love the New Year. It’s a great time to re-focus and re-invent yourself.

Do it the SMART way.

A few years back I attended a seminar for work and one of the topics was goal setting and using the SMART way. It stands for S-Specific, M-Measurable, A-Achievable, R-Realistic, and T-Time Frame.

Make the goals specific.  Put a plan in action.  For example, “I will save $20 a week by eating out less” instead of “I will save more money”. This goal has a specific amount and a plan of how to accomplish it.

The goals should be measurable “I will spend 15 minutes a day reading with my children” instead of “I will read more with my kids.” This has a measurable time limit each day.

Make the goal achievable. I will lose 30 lbs. this year. Although specific and measurable, is this achievable? Without a good plan in place and a support system, you are probably setting yourself up for failure.

The goal should be realistic. If you want to run a marathon, but haven’t been running, a great option is to start with a 5K and build from there.

Now, set a time frame. This will give you something to work towards. If you decide you want to start exercising but haven’t done anything in years. Start with, “I will walk 15 minutes a day on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday for this first six weeks”. Then after that time frame, update the goal. Add an additional 5 minutes. Then after that, re-evaluate. How are you doing with your goal? Can you add another day? Or more time? Or both? Maybe you’re ready for a more intense form of exercise.

So how do you get started on your resolutions?

Start with a positive approach. For example, instead of “I will not eat chocolate” change to “I will eat fruit for dessert 4 times a week”

Make a list and then ask how and when. Review the steps above. Each goal may need to be broken down into smaller ones.

After that, get a support system and involve your family. As you start achieving your goals and bettering yourself, some people may try to sabotage you. Unfortunately, it could be the people closest to you. Just be mindful of this. It’s possible that they may feel threatened. When losing weight, I joined a Facebook group and found support that way. This year when I started my blog, I joined a blogging group. I’m amazed at how supportive these people are and I haven’t even met them.

Most importantly, make sure you write your goals down and put them somewhere you can see them. There is truth to the phrase “out of sight, out of mind”.

Since I’m a visual person, I love the idea of a Vision Board. My friend Erica The Prepping Wife has a blog post on creating a vision board. Be sure and check it out. Additionally, there are also a number of posts on Pinterest and I also found a workshop in my area that I’m thinking of attending.

Once you have your goals set, Celebrate along the way!

A few years ago, I needed to lose weight. Once I hit a certain milestone, I rewarded myself. Since I was on a weight loss journey, dinner out or a new outfit wasn’t a good option. Instead, I got a pedicure or purchased a new pair of shoes. For me, rewards are important. They help keep me motivated. Figure out something to reward yourself with.

So today, I’m going to spend the day in my pj’s and reflect on what goals I want to set for next year. Last year, I started on a quest to live a simple life. We will continue with this but I feel I want to do something more.

What are your goals? If savings and budgeting are important to you, check out my blog post or if living more simple is one, be sure and read that one too.

This year has brought a lot of changes to our family. Above all, I’m ready to let go of the past and look forward to the future. Take this time for yourself! Figure out what you want for yourself and put your plan in place. The ultimate goal is to turn your resolutions into habits. Good luck!