Begin Making Small Steps towards where you want to be
New Year's is a time to look back at the past twelve months and the year ahead. Resolutions are often centered on desires to make the year ahead better than the year before. As you reflect on the past and the future ahead of you, accept the things you cannot change overnight, and begin taking steps towards the place or the person you want to be.
Start off your New Year on a positive note by setting realistic, reachable goals that you can incorporate into your lifestyle over the course of a year. A simple way to do this is to make one of your resolutions for the year to make daily and weekly to-do lists. Give yourself 15 minutes every Sunday evening to write down the tasks you want to accomplish throughout the week, and allot five minutes every morning to jot down your daily to-do list. Keep a small journal dedicated to your daily and weekly goals. You will find that planning ahead for the week will save you time. For example, if you grocery shop every other day, make plans to shop weekly or biweekly.
As you think about improvements for your New Year, consider volunteering. One of the best ways to boost your sense of self-worth is to help others in need. Think of what you could do for a few hours every week to give back to others through volunteering. This could be teaching literacy to adults at your local library, or fostering a homeless dog or cat through a non-profit rescue. Volunteering can take many forms, and whether you want to help children, adults, animals or the environment, there are opportunities in your community to give back and make a difference.
You are not alone if you desire to be more fit. More than two-thirds of adult Americans are considered overweight, so it is no surprise that weight loss is one of the top New Year’s resolutions. If you desire to lose weight in the New Year, focus on healthy lifestyle changes rather than losing a set number of pounds. Your weight loss plan should not incorporate diet or workout regimens that are exhausting and impossible to keep up with. Increase your chances of success by joining an accountability group or tracking your own eating and fitness activities with a journal or app on your smartphone. You can use your daily goal journal to track your calories and workouts if you like.
Whether you want to land the perfect job, have a fit body, be debt-free or just be happier, there is no time like the present to get started. Start off the New Year on a positive note by holding yourself accountable. Be your own best friend and encourage yourself daily.
