January first has come and gone and in the light of your first week of trying to uphold your list of resolutions, you may be beginning to have some doubts if you can keep up with them. Especially that one about swearing off all chocolate products (hey, you made that particular resolution during an eggnog/champagne/seltzer induced stupor, it’s not your fault you might have been overly ambitious.)
After the magic of that New Year’s Party has worn off, it’s time to take stock of your list of resolutions and find out which ones are worth keeping, which ones need to be tossed out, and which ones were just plain, well, not made in a right mind.
Here’s how to stay on track with your goals:
First, evaluate your set of resolutions (or resolution as it may be.) Ask yourself if the resolution is realistic. You are more likely to be consistent with the resolution if it’s not asking you to do something outside of the boundaries of reality. If your resolution is to change the world, for example, you might want to modify that resolution to be to change one part of the world, or narrow the focus to one specific problem the world experiences. This way, when you do start to uphold the resolution, you won’t feel so overwhelmed by the vast amount of energy and resources it would have taken to address an unrealistic resolution.
Then, ask yourself if the resolution will make you happy. I know, sounds pretty obvious, right? But you never know if an innocent looking resolution will actually be masking a set a troubles and turmoil you didn’t expect. If your overall goal is to loose weight, and you’ve vowed to abstain from all sweets and chocolate products, will this make you happy in the long run? Picture yourself a month or six months or a year down the line. If what you see is a rocky road of struggle and heartbreak, it might be a good idea to modify your resolution. Try not eating sweets six days a week, and one the seventh allow yourself to indulge in a nice piece of red velvet. Yum. (Oh, and I promise there is room in a healthy diet for the occasional sweet. Your taste buds will thank me.)
Okay, so once you’ve evaluated your list, the next step is to flesh out a plan. Even someone with a resolve of steel might find herself floundering if she doesn’t have a guide. Come up with a set of sub-goals and write them down under your main goal. This can be as simple as a couple of bullets, or as detailed as an outline. Then find a way to remind yourself, such as tacking up a cheerful sticky note on your bathroom mirror, or jot a reminder in your monthly planner. Enlist support: find a friend to hold you accountable to your resolution, or maybe join a group who has shared goals with you. You’ll find rapport and build relationships while sticking to your resolutions.
And finally, as time goes by, be sure to give yourself a nice reward for progress made! If your resolution has been to pick up a new hobby, and you’ve consistently kept up with say, photography, then treat yourself and find an upgraded lens.
So, dear collegiate, I encourage you to stay strong in your resolutions, be kind to yourself if you slip up (we’re all human), and have fun trying new things! May the upcoming year fill you with joy, learning experiences, trials, new friendships, love, and success.
Photo credits:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1ece_1s4bkU/TSDgVFhST3I/AAAAAAAALGg/44LK8ozwuSs/s1600/new-years-bucks-county.jpg <--new year’s celebration photo
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1ece_1s4bkU/TSDgVFhST3I/AAAAAAAALGg/44LK8ozwuSs/s1600/new-years-bucks-county.jpg