Monday, December 30, 2013

New Year's Resolutions, SMART Goals, and More Tips

Just a few short days until 2014 is upon us and I'm super excited and unabashedly love the cliché, "New Year, New Me." The New Year is all a fresh start and having a clean slate ahead, why not take advantage of the opportunity to be a better you? Maybe "New Year, Better Me" or "New Year, Best Me...yet" is more appropriate then. ;) 



My experience with New Year's Resolutions is pretty similar to a lot of people I know. The first two weeks of January start off great! You're motivated and on top of your game when suddenly, or not so suddenly, the honeymoon phase ends. It's too much, it's boring, it wasn't a very well thought out plan in the first place. (I'm pretty guilty of that one.)

One of the best ways to plan resolutions to use the SMART goals method. SMART standing for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, target date. In short, do you have a resolution that isn't vague, something you can see if you're accomplishing, realistic, something to bother doing in the first place, and sometime you'd like it to be done by. 

Some of my 2014 New Year's Resolutions are...
- make my bed everyday
- no poultry, beef, or other land critters
(which means I'll still be enjoying fish, shellfish, eggs, and milk products)
- activity everyday for an hour

Other tips include having an accountability partner, this helps keep you on track by having another party check in with how you're doing. Reward yourself appropriately, get new smaller clothes, a mani/pedi, or jewelry. Lastly, don't beat yourself up if you do slip up. January 1st is a new beginning but so is every day, brush yourself off, and start again tomorrow.

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

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