Resolutions and how to achieve them!

HERE we are, another year and another discussion on resolutions. How many of you were able to keep yours up from last year? I did a little poll and less than 30 percent of people stuck to their resolutions; most didn’t make it past February. So, today, I thought I’d shed some light on how to make serious changes in your life.

I don’t think I necessarily have to speak about motivation. I believe that people are typically open and willing to make positive changes that result in a happier and more successful life. These changes do not have to overwhelm you; do not underestimate the cumulative power of small and consistent changes in just your daily routines or schedule.

Of course, the first thing is to identify what you would like to change or improve. When that is done, make these suggested small changes to ensure plausibility. Know the meaning of what you are trying to achieve. Some people fail to achieve their goals because they are vague or meaningless, even to them. Ask yourself some critical questions; what is it that you want to achieve? Why do you want to achieve it? What true value would it bring to your life? Find its true purpose.

First, stay positively focused on your goals. Make a list of everything you have to do to accomplish these goals; create and repeat positive affirmations which recognise your progress or willingness for progression.

Wake up earlier – one thing successful people have in common is they start the day early and healthier. Either way, you are going to need the extra time to accomplish your new goals.

Stay on top of small chores. I read a book that was literally called “Make your bed” to which the author explained how much his productivity increased daily just by making his bed in the morning. If you use one cup or plate, wash it immediately. When you leave even the smallest things for later, they quickly become overwhelming.

Start small with big goals. You will not become a professional at anything over night; even dedicating 15 minutes a day to your new goal is a win.

Know what genuine priorities are. There are things that are urgent and important, urgent but not important or important but not urgent- do you know the difference?

Identify triggers that may hinder your progress. If you can predict, you can often prevent.

Ignore myths that allow for complacency. One of the biggest myths around is that people cannot change. If I had a dollar for the number of times people have said to me, I would use that money to change every person on earth for the better. While it may be technically true that certain intrinsic characteristics or internalised personality traits may not be able to change, behaviour certainly can. People choose to believe they cannot change because it helps keep them in their comfort zone and allow for blame to be placed on other people. “I can’t help it, this is who I am- they have to deal”. How many times have we all heard that? People feel comfort believing that if they cannot change, they cannot be responsible or accountable for how they act. This is wrong and you can change; do not enable your own unhealthy behaviour due to a myth.

Face your fears- you cannot accomplish goals without this, as it could be one of your biggest deterrents or reasons for setbacks. For example, you may not even want to try because you have a fear of people’s opinions of you or of failure in general. Facing these fears allows you to take control of the situation. Learn to embrace the discomfort that comes from changing habits. Change is scary for everyone and be prepared to be constantly out of your comfort zone. Billy Cox, a musician, once said, “Life will only change when you become more committed to your dreams than you are to your comfort zone.

Do not underestimate the power of the right environment when it comes to influencing behaviour change. Find the best possible environment for your goals. It’s an easy example to say if your goal is to lose weight, you may not be successful doing this at home where you have previously shown low motivation- go to your nearest park or health centre. Put your own goals into context here and decide what is the right environment for the change you want to see.

People also fail to make changes to their lives because they try to do it all themselves. Share your goals with trusted people and keep a good support system. It helps to have an accountability person; someone who when you are heading off track can remind you of why you set this goal in the first place.

If you really want to make consistent change, never compare yourself to other people. Being preoccupied about what others consider as success will derail your own. Everyone has a different path with various views on what makes them happy and successful and often they don’t match and that’s more than okay.

A key piece of advice is to think long term. Too many of us focus on immediate gratification and it really doesn’t exist when it comes to changing your life. Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world, said “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten.” The man is thinking decades ahead. Be patient and focus on the process, not the results. Focus on your future self-comfort rather than your current.

There will be inconsistent days. You will backslide into old and unhealthy habits- this is normal. Willpower and motivation consist of actions that arise from feelings and feelings are vague and unreliable. This is to be expected, but not to derail you long term, pick yourself back up tomorrow. Aim for consistency, not perfection as researchers at Duke University in 2006 found that more than 40% of the actions people perform each day aren’t actual decisions, but habits.

Need extra motivation? Envision what your life will be like after this change. What will you be capable of and how will you feel about it? How will your relationships change? How will it change the way you feel about yourself?

Thank you for reading. Please continue to send topic suggestions to caitlinvieira@gmail.com

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