WHAT TO DO BEFORE SETTING YOUR NEW YEAR GOALS
I can’t believe there are only two more months left until the New Year! Where has the time gone? It’s been such a whirlwind the last few months that I feel like this year has just flown by.
Whenever the New Year approaches, I tend to set big, ambitious goals for myself for the year ahead. I’ve never actually taken time before the new year to plan out my goals and to slowly ease myself into pursuing them. I often set my expectations and goals high without changing any of my habits beforehand. This leaves me feeling disappointed and defeated when I don’t reach the goals I set for myself.
This year, I’m going to do things differently. I’ve sat down and created a list of goals I’m serious about pursuing. Rather than wait for the New Year, I’m going to start working on them right now. No waiting until right before New Years Eve. I’m talking me sitting here writing my goals and plans down as I write this post now. In order to be successful, it’s important to first change habits that have become part of your lifestyle which have prevented you from reaching your goals.
RECOGNIZE YOUR BAD HABITS
Before even starting to work on your goals, it’s important to recognize the habits that have been hindering you in your daily life. Do you leave tasks to be done at the last minute? Are you disorganized and cluttered? Do you spend too much time on social media? Recognizing these small habits can make a world of a difference to how to progress with your goals. I don’t mean you should pick yourself apart and feel bad about yourself. We all have bad habits that we’re not always proud to have, but you’re capable of creating the change you want to see in yourself. It’s completely in your hands- you’ve got this!
WRITE A LIST OF CHANGES TO MAKE
Now that we’ve reached self-awareness, it’s time to do something about it. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never actually sat down to write the changes I want to make in my habits, and exactly how I’ll go about doing it. It’s never occurred to me that I’ve never had a real life, actual plan before!
I recently wrote a post about 5 Important Life Habits You Need To Try. These have been game changers for me. One of my bad habits is that I have a tendency to spend way too much time scrolling through my Instagram. I get stuck in the dark abyss that is social media and before I know it I’ve wasted 40 minutes on the app. So, I’ve decided to track my usage on Instagram and give myself 30 minutes a day of *free* time on the app. This is one thing I do each day to help me curve a habit that distracts me from my actual goals.
DO ONE THING EVERY DAY
It’s important to develop habits that help you reach your goals. Habits are something we do every day, often without even thinking about them. They’re so engraved in our minds and in our routine, they come second nature to us.
Do one thing a day that is geared towards attaining your goal. Even if it’s something small like writing for ten minutes a day. I know it seems small, but you have to start somewhere, right? If done every day, this small act will eventually become something that’s just another part of your day.
Do you have a routine you go through before setting your New Year goals? I’d love to hear about your tips and tricks!
