Will your New Year's Resolution last past January 12?
January 12 is the average date that most resolutions get abandoned. And the percent increases further by the end of January.
New Year's Resolutions are a tradition that has either become a lost cause or something we no longer take seriously.
You've seen it time and again:
Jim decides he wants to be "healthier" in the New Year. He gets a gym club membership, goes so many days every week, gets burnt out, and stops going (ever notice how the gym is SO busy in January and February, then attendance falls off going into March??)
Jane decides she wants to be "healthier" in the New Year. She starts buying more vegetables to add to meals, doesn't really know what to do with them, and eats boring salads or the veggies rot in the fridge. It's not fun (actually boring as hell) and is such a waste with the food that gets thrown out. She gives up and goes back to eating whatever she was eating before the New Year.
There are tons of scenarios like this year after year. People want to be "healthier" based on an idea that they have to be a certain way or fit a certain mold. And even if they really desire it, they turn their lives upside down to make it happen and burn themselves out because it's so different than what they were doing before.
Can you think of a New Year's Resolution like this that you've set for yourself in the past? (I've actually done both scenarios above.)
Why did you give up?
Frustration? Lack of results? Too time-consuming? Didn't know the next step?
How did you FEEL when you couldn't stick to your resolution or commitment? How did you feel knowing you didn't make your goal - whether it was to get "healthier" or some other aspiration?
Why do we do this to ourselves, year over year?
Let's take a step way back and understand where this tradition originates.
Where does the tradition of resolutions come from?
The tradition of setting a resolution to do/be better easily dates back 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians, though they celebrated around mid-March, the idea was the same. They would resolve to pay any outstanding debts so they could remain in good favor of their gods. (The theme: do better, receive a favorable outcome.)
This tradition continued with the ancient Romans, who, after restructuring the calendar, celebrated the New Year in "January" (the month named after Janus - the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is a god with two faces: one to look back into the past and the other to look forward into the future). The Romans would make promises to do better to stay in the good graces of their gods (the favorable outcome).
Fast forward a bit more to see the resolution tradition further continued by Christians who challenged themselves to look at their past mistakes and make a resolution to be better in the future, which became a secular activity (not tied to religion).
I CHALLENGE YOU!
For many people now, resolutions come in the form of bettering oneself. But, as we acknowledged above, simply resolving to do something better doesn't seem to get us very far.
I challenge you to create a Resolution Revolution!
I challenge you to do more than simply resolve to be better.
I challenge you to strengthen your resolve with a solid plan to achieve your goal.
Create a Resolution Revolution
Follow these essential steps to turn your 2022 Resolution into a Roadmap for Success. Grab your pen and paper as you'll want to keep this exercise handy:
1. Start with your desired state - WHAT do you want? It can be anything from how you want to feel (more energized, less stressed, happier) to how you want to look (lose XX pounds, build muscle, clothes fit better) or anything in between. This is YOUR desired state...where do you want to be?
2. Now ask yourself "WHY":
WHY do you want this? (write that down)
And WHY do you want that? (write that down, too)
And WHY? (yep, write it down)
And WHY? (keep writing)
And, finally, WHY? (don't forget to write this one)
You want to ask yourself "WHY" at least FIVE times to really get beneath the surface to why you want something. This step is critical because it helps feed your motivation later, especially when it gets tough to stay on track. There will come a time when you'll need to have something to grab firmly to pull you along the path. Your WHY will help keep you moving.
3. Now let's turn that desired state into something a little more tangible. Create a S.M.A.R.T. Goal...you want to work towards a goal that is:
Specific - narrow in on a smaller piece of the desired state so you can be more effective in your efforts.
Measurable - tracking progress allows you to see it, especially when the change may not seem as obvious. It can be motivating to see even the slightest progress. Measurements can also help determine if something isn't working when progress is too slow.
Attainable - you want to obtain the goal within a reasonable timeframe, with a reasonable amount of effort. If you want to change, you will have to do the work...but we're not going for "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" kind of effort.
Relevant - the goal should align with your values and objectives.
Time-based - put an end date or deadline for when you want to achieve the goal. Knowing the end date helps with prioritization and motivation...no one wants to chase the same goal into perpetuity.
The measurable, attainable, and time-based pieces are all related. The goal should break down into smaller time chunks so you can assess if the effort per day/week is reasonable. If not, adjust.
If you find that the effort is unreasonable after starting, recalibrate and keep going. You'll hear this often: it doesn't matter if you fall; it does matter if you get back up.
It doesn't matter if you fail; it does matter if you get back up.
4. Break down the SMART Goal into even smaller bites
To achieve your goal, you'll need to tackle it day by day. To do so, determine what skill will help you do this. From there, the skill breaks down into practices, and again into daily actions.
When you consistently hit the daily actions, you're more likely to see progress.
For ideas on how to break a health goal into daily actions, check out my previous blog: Don't Set a New Year's Resolution.
The broader roadmap to your desired state will consist of several SMART goals that you work on over time. As you move from one goal to the next, tracking your progress along the way, you'll see how much closer you've come to your desired state.
Yes, you'll experience setbacks. The key is to pick back up where you left off, don't just drop it. (Remember, it matters if you get back up.) And, be sure to CELEBRATE your wins...however small they may be!! #tinywins
Consider hiring a Healthy Lifestyle Coach to guide you
Is the process above overwhelming to you?
Do you feel like you need support and accountability to keep you on track?
Consider hiring a Healthy Lifestyle Coach. A trained coach can help set you up for success and keep you accountable to achieve it.
If you're interested in working with me or learning more about coaching, I recommend scheduling a FREE consultation. We'll discuss your goals, start your roadmap, and see if we want to work together.
If you want guidance on my entire Resolution Revolution process, you can book a session just for that and come away with a complete action plan for updating your healthy lifestyle!
If you're timid or want something a little less involved, shoot your questions to me via email at vicky@uplifthealthylifestyle. I'd be happy to review your questions and get back to you.
Here's a quick checklist of the Resolution Revolution Process:
Start by identifying your desired state.
Then determine why you want it: Ask yourself "why" 5 times.
Create a S.M.A.R.T. Goal.
Determine the skills, practices, daily actions to get you to your goal.
