BOOM Go the Resolutions!

Caution: New Years Resolutions may combust!

It’s that time of year again, a time where we recommit to writing or at least mentally taking note of the goals we want to accomplish this year. But I ask you and myself why? Don’t we make that goal to lose weight and then after a day or two of starving ourselves go back to eating the same old stuff? Don’t we write down a few goals only to lose the paper it was written on therefore annulling (at least in our mind) our agreement to work on those goals?

I am like many of you. I make goals and then a few days, weeks, or on occasion months go by and all of those goals are lost and gone. Then when the end of the year comes around I feel guilt and then vow to do my best for the next coming year. Not only are my lists of goals long and arduous but they end up being absolutely unreachable. Then I hem and haw when I can’t fulfill them and feel self pity.

As a teenager my dad had us all sit down on New Years Day and write down our goals for the New Year. One year my dad explained how we could literally write down the blessings we wanted that year and seal them in an envelope to read the following New Years. When I opened it there were many goals I didn’t even know I had written down.

I am a firm believer in writing down goals but through the years I have learned a few things, specifically when it comes to “New Years Resolutions.”

1 – I only write down 3 things that I want to see happen for that year. If you are more/less ambitious you can add or subtract to this list. I use 3 because I feel like they are things I can have a grasp on at all times.  I sit down with my spouse and together we create a list of 3 things we want to see happen. One year a goal included taking a vacation alone. After a lot of saving, planning and hard work we were able to go to Hawaii for 9 days alone! This was satisfying on a number of levels.

Another year one of my goals was to pay off a pesky debt. It literally took all year to do but by the end of the year we had paid it off. See that’s the thing about having 3 goals. Usually you’re able to wrap your head around them easier and to monitor them. My lists before of 20 plus goals were hard to manage and track. They rarely were accomplished which would explain the self pity and loathing. Another great thing about 3 goals is that they can last as long or as short as you need them to be. It could be something you do daily of something that will take you months to accomplish.

2 – I am a firm believer in writing your goals down and posting them everywhere as a reminder. Don’t do what I did as a teen and write it down, seal it in an envelope, and then open it up a year later. You will not remember what you put! Write it down in multiple places. On your calendar, in your phone, journal, computer saver screen, fridge, EVERYWHERE! Also make it look nice too so you don’t cringe every time you see it.

The more you look at it, the more brainpower you will use in order to accomplish it. I’m laughing inside because I am not an expert on any of this. In fact my expertise comes by failing so many times to accomplish what I wanted to that I had to come up with a system of how to actually achieve my goal. So you can take this advice for what it’s worth! Probably not much!

3 – Last the only way I’ve been able to achieve anything has been with the help of other people. No man is an island and when you are working toward a goal whether it is losing weight or learning a new talent you really need the help of other people to get you to acheive. I’m going to be selfish for a moment and give you a good example.  

I hate talking about weight – especially my weight. It’s always been a cause for concern because I’ve always fluctuated with each baby, holiday, and major life event. In October (and I’ll go in to detail in a separate post) I weighed more than ever before. I couldn’t quite get a grasp on it and felt listless. So my sister started a Biggest Loser contest. We all weighed in and made goals. I started off strong and found something I loved doing. Zumba! A lady in our neighborhood teaches the class and I was happy to be able to begin to love to work out.

Everyone who was doing the Biggest Loser dropped out within the first month but I decided to keep going. Thanks to a few friends who lived close they went with me to early morning classes and evening ones. It was fun when I was with them and it gave me the motivation to go. It’s been 2 1/2 months since then and I have lost 25 pounds! Although it is not my ultimate goal I am really happy with what I have accomplished thus far. I owe it all to my friends for motivating me and going with me to work out, and for my amazing teacher who pushes all of us in the class. Involving others to accomplish your goals will almost always give you success.

I hope that this was just fun and informative! I would love for everyone to feel good about the goals they make for 2011 and these are just a few strategies that have helped me achieve my own goals! What will your 3 things be for 2011?

Here’s to a Happy New Year!

Kattie