STAYING ON TRACK
Now that the new year is upon us, most of us like to reasses and look on the memories and accomplishments of the past year, as well as goals and changes we desire for the year to come. At first, it can be easy to be motivated for the first few weeks or months; but it is all too common for us to drift back into our old habits again. Here, we'll provide some tips on how to be a little more proactive this year.
1) Set achievable, short-term goals. We tend to shoot pretty big when it comes to a new year. While it's great to push yourself, it becomes discouraging over time when you're not seeing results. A way to stay on top of this is to set several, smaller goals that we can realistically achieve. Through each of our smaller sucesses, we're motivated to continue striving for our overall goal.
2) Be patient. Many of us tend to want instant gratification. When we try out a new lifestyle change for a short amount of time, we become discouraged when we feel like we aren't instantly seeing results. We need to learn to take a step back and make a proper assesment of our approach. If we are taking these little steps, results will come in time. Biting off more than we can chew will cause us to be overwhelmed and give up a lot faster than if we take it at a steady pace. By mapping out our goals, we enhance our ability to carry through with them. As the saying goes "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail."
3) Visualize your goals. Make a habit of writing your goals down and placing them somewhere you can constantly see and refer to them. Another idea is to create a vision board with pictures or quotes that will inspire you to achieve your goal for the upcoming year. Being able to visualize or read over your goals on a daily basis will be a great way to mentally remind yourself what you can do each day to get closer to your goal.
4) Find enjoyment in wellness. When we want to make a change in our health and well-being, it's important to have the correct perspective. If we see it as a burden to get in the workout or eat the proper foods, then we are setting ourselves up for failure. When we fully understand the benefits of taking care of our bodies, we can better appreciate making healthier lifestyle choices. Pursuing wellness for the sake of bettering our bodies creates a much more enjoyable experience that inspires us to be more dedicated.
5) Be accountable. Sharing your goals with a friend or family member and having them hold you accountable is an excellent way to increase your dedication. Having support from others helps to encourage us to push a little harder. When we become discouraged or tempted to stray away from our goals, they can help boost our motivation. Whether it be because we don't want to let them down or we need the extra reminder, having this social support is a great way to stay on track when pursuing your goals.
Everyday, we're going to be faced with so many choices and decisions that'll either bring us farther or closer to our end goal. These five tips provide you with strategies to make a change this year and be able to stick to it everyday without being overwhelmed or discouraged.
