"

Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow.

"

You made a “Resolution”, now what?

A new year brings with it excitement, a renewal of enthusiasm about your life, both professional and personal. Often this renewal is represented in our lives as a “resolve” to change something, do better, be better!

Resolutions are an amazing thing! A new year is a new time to reflect upon what we’d like to change in our lives moving forward, it’s a potential “TSN turning point” for our lives. Goal setting can be an incredibly powerful tool!

So why do we see people “failing” or losing their resolve so quickly in the new year?

Each individual is different but I think sometimes there are a few key things that link those who are unable to keep their resolve for the year to come.

1. They have no plan! It’s one thing to say that you are going to lose 4 dress sizes or that you are going to eat healthy, but it’s a whole other thing to actually implement that lifestyle change! If you have a resolution to be healthier or fitter in 2013 you need to take massive action immediately to gain momentum on that goal. Tomorrow will quickly turn into December 31st again so do NOT delay.  Take the pressure off yourself and join a fitness program that can help teach you how to reach your goal and that will keep you accountable…. I might know a couple that will work (ahem, side bar…)
2. Too much too soon.I see many people bite off more than they can chew and start the year gung-ho to hit the gym, and we all know how that turns out. Make a reasonable plan, small changes like adding activity 2-3 days a week is an incredibly powerful starting point that will allow your body to adapt and keep your spirits high. Don’t set yourself up for failure resolving to run 15k seven days a week or do a full body resistance training workout every single day. I’m all for pushing yourself, however, injuries and over-training can stop you dead in your tracks, so look for someone to start you off on a proper training program.
3. No idea what their resolution means. What exactly does “eating healthy” mean to you? It all comes back to the plan. Does eating healthy mean having burgers only 1 day a week? Does it mean adding a salad in every day, or eliminating sugar, gluten or dairy? Set some parameters for your goal and make sure that you can stick to them. Baby steps are important to your success so start off with 2-3 changes and you can add more on later.
4. Goal is too big. Setting a goal that is large is amazing! Congrats to you for setting your sights high! Sometimes though, goals can be so large that they take lots of time, and the farther away your goal is, the faster you may lose momentum reaching it. It can become easily discouraging to try to lose 5olbs when a healthful achievement of that goal is 4-8 months away! Set smaller goals along the way that you can celebrate, like the first time you do 20 pushups from your toes, or losing 1 inch from your waist. These goals will help you to feel a sense of accomplishment and maintain your drive to make it to the finish line.

2013 can be YOUR year to succeed and accomplish all of your goals! I encourage you to write down your goals in a safe place along with all of the reasons “why” you want to achieve them. Take some action today, right now after reading this post, to get your goals started and plan to review your progress at least every month and re-evaluate your plan and progress. I hope you reach all of your goals and dreams this year!

Would you like to share this advice with your friends? Click here to tweet!

I’d love to hear what your 2013 goals are and if I can help you reach them! Leave a comment below!

Always living with passion,

Sammie