Happy New Year Resolutions?

I know, we are 11 days into 2016 already but I’ve just about got myself back into routine. The tree and decorations have gone, the girls are back at school and although I love the holidays, I’m always happy to welcome ‘real life’ back.

I do love this time of year and the sense of excitement and energy it brings. It seems the perfect time to reflect on the previous twelve months and look forward to and plan for the next, and regardless of whether or not you make New Year resolutions it’s really inspiring to see how motivated everyone is at this time of year to make positive changes to their lives. You definitely do feel lifted by the possibility and feelings the new year gives you.

With that said, I really don’t really like ‘New Year Resolutions’ and although I’ve started to make plans and set intentions for 2016, I wouldn’t call them resolutions. Why don’t I like the idea of them? I think the timing is my main issue. ‘I’m going to stop doing this or give up doing this, start doing this or learn to do this. If you really think you should, shouldn’t or want to be doing these things, why wait for one particular day to make these changes, when there are 364 other equally great decision making days available?

If you realise you want to change something or try to something new, why not commit to it straight away. If it’s that important to you, do it now - whether it’s March or August or December. January may not be the best time to start a particular intention anyway depending on what it is, and what it would involve to get there. To add to that, many resolutions people make are things they think they should be doing and not what they actually want to do.

January is a time where we all have to face the reality of the real world. The holidays are over, the weather (depending on where you live) is often not that kind, sometimes the financial burden of the holidays has taken its toll and summer( depending on where you live) is a whole 6 months away. Add to that a resolution you have made which often is taking away something you enjoy or includes something you don’t like, and it’s a recipe for failure.

I’m not trying to discourage you to make changes to your life. The whole point of this blog site is to inspire you to do just that. I’m just trying to offer alternative ways to think about how to approach and welcome in the New Year in a different way and maybe keep the momentum of the resolution going throughout the year.

How do you want your life to turn out by this time next year?

Things don’t just happen. You need to plan. Try to stay away from what you don’t want and focus on what you do.

Identify small steps to get there.

Things don’t just happen. That’s why resolutions don’t always last too long. They are often just a list of wishes with no action plan. ‘I want to lose weight, I want to stop smoking, I want to eat healthier, I need more of a work/life balance’.

After a few weeks we often settle back into the same old habits and routines we had before and our resolutions are long forgotten. It doesn’t come as a massive surprise that 92% of people fail at the resolutions they make. In fact the fact that they are meant to be broken is almost a cliche.

So how can this year be different?

How can you close the gap between what you intend to accomplish and what you actually accomplish? To make big changes you need to create daily achievable habits and build them into your existing routine. Habits become automatic, they don’t rely on your will power which is not a finite resource, as we all know!

What do you really want?

Many resolutions are made in the last week of December when people are frantically thinking of something they need to change. December, for most people, is not a ‘normal’ month. More food and drinks, more parties, late nights, lie ins, hangovers, less work, possible family tensions….have I missed anything? We have a very distorted view of what the rest of the year was like.

Goodbye 2015….Hello 2016

When I look back on 2015 and focus on looking forward to the coming year, I find it useful to answer a list of questions to make me think about how I can help develop some actionable steps to make every month as productive and fulfilling as the last.

One of the most paralysing things about New Year resolutions is sometimes the enormity of the tasks or actions that need to be done to be successful. It almost ends before it begins as too much change is required and it’s just not sustainable in the long run.

What were some of the best things to happen last year?

What was the most challenging thing that happened?

What were the best books you read last year?

What was the biggest time waster in your life last year?

What were some of the things you learned last year?

What places did you travel to last year?

What new things did you try last year?

What were your day to day favourite things?

Who were the people you most enjoyed spending time with?

What new things do you want to learn this year?

Write a list of books you want to read this year….then order them! (thank you in advance Amazon)

What area of progress would you like to see this year for improving your physical health?

What are some daily choices you can add to your life that will improve your health?

In what way would you like to be physically fitter by December this year?

Are there any physical challenges you want to take part in this year? Make a list.

What is your action plan to progress towards a healthier you?

Do you have any holiday destinations you would like to visit? What needs to happen to make this possible?

How is your current living space working for your family? Do you need to make changes? Does it need to be decluttered? How can you make this possible?

How can you help your child to develop their strengths?

How can you help your child overcome their weaknesses?

Are there ways that you can save more money this year?

What are more long term financial goals? In what ways can you make progress on them this year?

These questions may or may not be relevant to your life and I’m sure there are many more you can add but I have found having a more structured approach really helps me to set more meaningful, productive challenges that continue throughout the whole year and don’t end two or three weeks into January. A yearly review is a great exercise in mindfulness and being conscious about your life - not just letting it pass you by. It makes you slow down and reminisce about the ‘best bits’ and makes you appreciate the ‘little’ things.

I’m sure there will be deviations from my plans. Intentions and challenges will be amended as the year progresses. Opportunities will present themselves that I could not foresee on January 1st, and if I don’t complete everything I intended to do, no big deal…..one thing’s for sure, there will be a very long list of things I have done.

Happy 2016….all of it.