New Year, New Opportunities

The new year is coming, for so many of us, that means a new resolve to do better, be better, make a change. Maybe New Year’s Resolutions are not your thing, but constant growth and evolution should be. The concept is the same. The problem with change is that it is hard. It takes time. It takes commitment and dedication. It takes baby steps.  

That is the ticket to any change. Small, consistent steps.  

I want you to be successful. I want to see you reach your goals and become the best version of yourself that you can be. So how can you do that? First of all, your goal/resolution has to be specific. “Lose weight” isn’t enough. “Eat healthily” isn’t enough. “Pray more” isn’t enough. “Be happier” isn’t enough. All of these ideas are good, but your resolution needs to have a bit more of a step-by-step process to be truly successful. Did you know that less than 10% of the resolutions made are kept? Often, it is because these goals are far too broad with no plan in place. No guidance. No commitment.  

It sounds nice to be better, but the reality of what it takes to do that is truly difficult. Let’s look at how we further break down the idea of “eat healthily.” This is a great plan. We know that nutrition is vital to your overall well-being, but “eat healthily” is so broad it’s hard to know where to even start. Without a plan, there’s no way to know what steps to take and without that, it’s hard to be successful.  

So, if your goal is to eat healthily, then maybe step one is adding one more serving of vegetables every day. That still fits the goal, and it is attainable. It is one small step. At first, you’ll have to think about it. You'll have to work hard at adding that extra serving. You might forget some days, but if you stick with it, it becomes second nature. That is when you take the next step. Maybe, it is replacing one other beverage with water. Whether that is pop, coffee, juice, tea, etc., you drink one less in exchange for one more glass of water. Again, a small step that leads to life-long success. You must commit to each step for this constant progress to take shape in your life.  

Let’s do another one. “Be happier.” Instead of something that broad, let’s start with a daily practice that can lead to feeling happier. Maybe that looks like 10 minutes of yoga every day. Whether that is 10-minutes to get your morning started or 10 minutes to wind down at night. Either way, it is proven to improve mood and relieve stress; leading to increased happiness. After that becomes a normal part of your life and a solid routine, then maybe you start with finding a weekly date night. Uninterrupted time with your partner, or your friends, can help to raise your happy hormones and let off steam. It brings balance back into your life and thus leads you to feel happier. Small steps but they lead to a huge change in your life.  

If you are ready to make some changes in your life, whether through a New Year’s Resolution, or just a commitment to being a better version of yourself, make sure you break it down to small, attainable goals. Have a plan, a guide to your success. I know you can do this!  

If self-care is a goal for 2021, join me for this talk.