Because resolutions are NOT made to be broken!
I think my favorite meme of all time is the one describing 2020. How you always hoped and dreamed for the time to finish that project. And then you have all the time and you still don’t finish it…
Or perhaps this meme because it aptly describes how I feel as a human being 99% of the time and no one seems to understand it.
However you have felt during 2020, I think we can all agree that we are looking forward to 2021 with the hopes that it surely must be better than last year. I hope that whatever resolutions you have in mind for your future you stick to. For that reason I have compiled a list of ways to help you do just that!
Make a Vision Board!
This is one that I actively fought. As in, I had the materials and the means to make the dang thing but for the longest time I outright refused to. Why, most likely because I am not the crafty type for one. For two, I don’t want to be the crafty type.
As much as I like to think that I can solely rely on my brainpower, I had heard from enough people that had “made it” to make a vision board. So, after tearing through the house and not finding the scotch tape, I made use of the duct tape I had in the utility closet and taped it to my bathroom wall.
In truth, I have to say I’ve noticed a difference. The theory behind it is that if you put it somewhere that you see it constantly, it serves as a reminder of what you’re working towards. With resolutions both big and small, you’ll need motivation sometimes and seeing the reminder of your dreams serves to help kick your butt in gear.
Cut out, print out, draw, however you can make it just do it! Then wherever you put it just make sure that it’s somewhere that you see it often. The psychology behind it is that visualization is an incredibly powerful mind exercise. Secondly, when your dreams are big, you will hit obstacles. It’s always important to remember why you want to accomplish those dreams when they seem unattainable.
Dedicate yourself for 21 days.
While this one can also sound annoying, it’s not without its merits. Even Tony and Sage Robbins’ App Freedom Guru has the free 21 Days to Freedom from Anxiety and Fear. While the median number of days that it takes to form new habits is 66, according to the New York Times, the minimum number of days necessary is 18.
New Year’s resolutions are like any others, except you’re usually trying to form new healthy habits at the beginning of the new year. Why are they so much harder to maintain? Usually because you don’t want to do them!
Bad habits like smoking, eating junk food, and so on are often the ones that require no effort and instantly reward you. Dedicating yourself to forming a new healthy habit takes days of repetition before you not only get into the swing of things, but also set your mind and body up for maintaining it.
Resolutions don’t have to be daunting.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. You won’t wake up tomorrow and all of your dreams will have magically materialized.
Take your resolutions one bite at a time. In education they can call it scaffolding. Even when it comes to working out, you’re not muscular the first time you ever do it. Working out quite literally is breaking your muscles down and then protein helps build them up stronger than they were.
Take your dreams and your resolutions with that same grain of salt. Remember what you’re working to achieve and no mountain will be insurmountable. But also, remember that you’re purposely being broken down sometimes in order to be built back up. Most of all though, just keep at it! A little action every day is better than a lot of action sometimes.
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