Author: Brooke Alexandra It’s almost 2016 and nearly that time again, the time when we set our New Year’s Resolutions! We all know what it’s like to get super excited about the new year ahead and set some well intended goals, only to fall off in the first month or two, sometimes even within weeks. It can be hard to gain momentum when doing new things. Because it’s a new year, we expect it to be a new us! Magically shifting age old patterns in our lives in the blink of an eye. If it were only that simple…
Did you know that only on average, only 4% of people actually keep their New Year’s Resolutions? I’ll admit, reading that took some of the guilt out of it for me but also created some curiosity. Why is it that we so regularly fall short of our goals?
Here are some of the biggest reasons we have such a hard time creating new habits and how to turn that around to keep on track this year!
Stop Focusing on the End Result
We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey,” this is a great motto to live by. When we focus mainly on the end result, transformation or the unattainable overnight success, we lose track and lose pace, being left to feel like we’re not getting to our goals fast enough. When we can only see having what we desire and completely forget to take into consideration how we are going to get there, this mindset sets us up for failure.
The Key: Consider how you’re going to get there. Make a map. Take some time to plan out what you can do consistently to maintain or take you steadily on your way toward your goals. What can you do on the daily to reach your goals? Baby steps are the way! The truth is, your life is a result of what you do on a daily basis. This means that everyday, you must take action and stick to the roadmap that you have created to take you to your goals.
Don’t Give Up So Easily
When we aren’t seeing results right away, too often we just give up, saying to ourselves, “We’ll, I tried but I don’t feel like I’m making any progress so what’s the use?” Let’s say, for instance, you want to lose 20 pounds. You may stay on track for a while but lose faith when you fail to see results in the first month, so you fall off the wagon. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, you didn’t gain those 20 pounds overnight and they aren’t going to lose them that quickly either.
The Key: Instead of making specific timelines, focus on creating new habits. When we don’t reach our goals in the time set for ourselves, we often feel like failures. In reality, you have made progress, it just may not be noticeable yet. This time, instead of telling yourself, “I will be lose 20 pounds by March,” create a new habit to stick to like, “I will run 4 days a week and eat a balanced diet on weekdays.” These are healthy habits that will naturally take you towards your goal. Keep up with these and watch your body transform! It’s all about consistency. So, make a pact with yourself and don’t give up, those results may be just around the corner fro