Hi y’all & Happy New Year! 

We have made it! After one of the most difficult years of my life, I am ecstatic to start the New Year! And yes, I know that all of my 2022 problems will likely follow me into this new year. But, there is something motivating about starting a new year that makes coming up with solutions a lot easier. I’m sure some of you can understand that. Like many of you, I have some new goals & plans for 2023, BIG GOALS. But the real challenge is keeping those resolutions. How do we make sure we stay on the horse and reach our goals for the year? Here are some tips to help you stick to your New Year’s resolution in 2023!

1. Don’t Commit to More than You can Handle

Do not chew on more than you can swallow. When you’re planning out your resolutions you want to be realistic about what you want to improve. Don’t create a huge list that you know you’re not going to be able to handle. 

2. Be Very Specific 

When you write out your goals for the new year make sure you are very specific about what you want. Don’t use blanket statements like, improve my health. Okay, yes, but in what way? Do you want to lose weight? Attend your regular doctor visits? Be specific. 

For example: 

“I want to lose 15lbs by June 2023” or “I want to fit my pre 2020 pants again.” 

“I’m going to schedule regular check ups for my health.” 

“Start going on more local hikes with my family once a week again.”

“I’m going to save $5,000 for our rainy day account by the end of the year.”

3. Break Down Your Goals

This is one step that I find to be the most helpful when it comes to reaching your new year’s resolutions. Take your goal and break it down to smaller goals/steps that will get you closer to reaching your main objective. 

For example, if you are looking to lose 30 lbs by the end of the year it would be easier if you break that down to what you need to lose every month to reach that goal. Or the amount of money you would need to put away each paycheck to make sure you reach your rainy day fund goal. Breaking your goals down helps make it more manageable and a lot less scary. 

4. Create Measurable Goals

Make sure your goals are measurable! Don’t make your goals so general that any progress is good enough. Or worse, that all the hard work you did never feels like enough. Give your goals a number, a date, or scale. If your goal is to spend more time with your family, be sure to make it measurable. Like, you’re going to take two whole weekends off every month and one will be dedicated for fun and leisure. This way you can easily mark this on your calendar, and you can have a visual of the progress you have made towards your New Year’s Resolution. 

5. Track Your Progress Regularly

Track your progress! So many people are guilty of setting goals for themselves, but they never revisit the goal until it’s too late and the new year is around the corner. If this is you, don’t be embarrassed we’ve all been there!  But this is why you need to check back on your goals every couple of months, so you don’t run out of time to achieve your dreams. Schedule a self reflection day every two months to review your progress. Keep track of your hard work on your phone or on a planner. I love my technology, but when it comes to my to-do lists and goals I need to use my Erin Condren planner.

6. Anything is Better than Nothing 

Yea, literally anything is better than nothing at all. Don’t quit because you fell off the horse a couple of times. No! Get up, and in the words of Jay Z, “ go on dust your shoulders off” and get back on. We’re gonna slip up, but what matters is getting back on track. Every amount of progress is still getting you one step closer to your overall goal.

Conclusion 

Don’t be intimidated by your New Year’s resolution this year. Just be strategic about how you plan them. Make sure they’re realistic goals and that you’re being very specific about what you want to accomplish. Break down your goals into smaller goals that will get you to your main purpose. Make sure they’re measurable and that you take the time to review your progress every couple of months. New year’s resolutions are just a new opportunity to strategize for your goals in life. Every year you get halfway to your goal gets you that much closer to achieving your overall objective.