Author: Tina Avila, LMFT
There are two things that the month of December guarantees. Well, three if you count the chills. One, the maelstrom of Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You blasting through every store's sound system. And second is the imminent turn of the year.
This turn of the year brings along the usual hugs, kisses, and partying. But more so, it brings a chance for everyone to start anew. And that is why we make some new year's resolutions; as a method of erasing the mistakes of the past year and hoping for the best in the coming one.
We've all heard those cliche new year's resolutions of eating healthier and spending less. And we all know just how unsuccessful they are. So, to help you start off the year correctly and set yourself up for success, we have a brief article planned for you today.
Ready to conquer the coming year? Well, let's dive right in
Making & Keeping a New Year's Resolution the Right Way
Let's equip you with these four tips that will help set you up for a successful new year:
We wish there was a flashback system in life, just like there is one in Snapchat. How interesting it'd have been to know where we stood in terms of motivations, priorities, and goals this time last year, no?
When reviewing how far you've come along, you must not go too hard on yourself. The purpose of this exercise is to determine how much you've grown as an individual over the last year and whether that growth was healthy. You must also not compare your growth with others. This is your journey, and we are so proud of you for making it this far. Use a notebook or a journal to keep a record of your year review.
Now that the self-evaluation part is done, you must check off all the tick marks on your to-do list. So, from cleaning your room to taking out the laundry, complete all those tasks that you're being too much of a lazy bum to complete.
With all those menial tasks off your to-do list, it is time to set some new year's goals. There is an acronym for goal setting called the SMART criteria. It stands for tasks that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound. That about sums it all up, no?
So, a new year's resolution like "I'll save more next year" won't cut it. You should make it more specific by giving it a measurable unit like $5,000. The exact number should obviously be realistic and attainable. You must also time-bound the entire thing, like for example, by promising to yourself that you'll save $5,000 by April of next year.
Wait Patiently
With some SMART resolutions set, all you need to do is gradually work towards them. Being slow and steady is the cheat code of this game. So, are you ready to play it?
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