6 Tips for your New Year's Resolution!

2020 was a year like none of us planned for, and many of us are excited to embrace the New Year and welcome 2021 in with open arms. The start of a new year often inspires us to set goals for ourselves, determine a focus, or resolve to make changes. So, how do you keep your momentum up throughout the year? Here are 6 tips to help get you there!

1) Be Realistic! In order to achieve a goal, it has to be realistic. While you should absolutely push yourself, it’s another thing to set a goal that’s just truly too extreme or even unrealistic. The quickest way to fail at your goal, is to set one that is impossible to obtain. Like if I resolve to never ever eat a single piece of junk food ever again, I’m more than likely setting myself up for failure. A more realistic way to set a goal like this would be to strive to eat less junk food, maybe allow yourself your favorite treat once or twice a week rather than everyday. Being realistic will make your goal easier to maintain!

2) Make a Plan! If you are not ready to set your goal in motion right on the first of the year, don’t let that stop you from working towards it all together! Make a plan for yourself, give yourself a date that you are ready to start on, and work on a game plan to help you be successful.

3) Track your progress! Many people get discouraged about their New Year’s Resolutions because they are so focused on the end goal, they aren’t aware of how much progress they are actually making. Whether it’s a health based goal, or a focus on reading/writing more, whatever your goal may be, there are plenty of ways to track your progress! Tracking your progress can also help inspire you to continue moving forward!

4) Reward yourself! Celebrating small victories along the way is another way to incentivize yourself to stick with your goal. If your goal is to journal every night, maybe after a month or two of success, you could treat yourself to a new pen!

5) Don’t beat yourself up! An ambitious goal takes a lot of work and dedication, and we are bound to slip up sometimes, but you can always get back at it. Remind yourself that even if you haven’t accomplished 100% of something you’re working on, you’ve probably made huge strides, so don’t let an off week or two deter you from moving forward.

6)Don't put pressure on yourself, and feel obligated to change because of a new year! The start of a new year symbolizes a fresh start and it is often associated with a need to “change”. You are not required to make huge life altering changes because of the date on the calendar. If you’re inspired to make a resolution-great! But don’t feel like the phrase “New Year, New Me” means you need to change yourself. We love you just the way you are, and we are here to support you ANY time of the year when it comes to reaching your goals!