By It’s January, and I’m sure that we have all at least contemplated New Year resolutions. Yet like many of us, myself included, we struggle to stick with New Year’s resolutions. There are three big reasons why.
- They are not planned out.
We seem to think that January 1st will bring in a new year and a new us. Sadly this is far from the truth. We still have all our schedules, commitments, responsibilities, and skill level. So if hitting the gym after work was a struggle before, it’s still going to be a struggle now unless you change something. This can be anything from finding a gym buddy with the same schedule, making sure that you pack a snack after work so you can eat before heading to the gym, etc. Maybe it’s not the gym but another area of your life, like eating habits, drinking habits, social life, or time with family just to name a few.
Give yourself time to figure out the details of your goals and make a plan. Start by asking yourself what changes need to happen? What has been stopping me from doing this previously? Who can help you get started?
- We go from zero to one hundred really fast.
Understand that it’s not safe, sustainable, or advisable to go from the couch eating ice cream to hitting the gym every day eating a rigid diet. This type of all-or-nothing changes can lead to injuries, overwhelm, all leading you to giving up on the changes altogether and retreating to the comfort of your couch.
Start slow, ask for help, find one area and start from there. If health is one of your goals, starting by moving more is great, then you will want to fuel your body better, and get a better night’s rest so that you can continue to move more and more.
- Find your Why
I’m not going to lie, on a chilly morning, the gym may not be calling your name loud enough to get you out of your cozy bed early in the morning. These times where you have to purposely choose between comfort and working towards your goal is when your “why” will be really important. If your why is important to you and something that lights your fire to go after your goal, the habits that will help you get there will be easier to follow through with. If you find yourself struggling to find the motivation to keep up with the habits that will help you reach your goal, ask yourself why you are trying to achieve this goal and link it to something that you value.
Now that you know these reasons why past New Year resolutions didn’t work, I wish you the best in the success with your goal over the coming year. Make sure to stay tuned as it’s my New Years’ resolution turned goal to post a new blog every Monday. If you liked this one you should like the ones that will be coming out over the following weeks full of health tips, mindset shifts, and all things related to developing a healthy lifestyle.
