Are you one of the millions of people who made a list on New
Year’s Eve or Day of resolutions for 2014?
Have you stuck to your resolutions?
The statistics are against fulfilling New Year’s Resolutions.
January every year local gyms fill up with the newly
inspired who are following their resolutions to get in shape, and lose weight. Check those crowded gyms out at the end of
February. Most gyms will no longer be
crowded.
A resolution is a promise to (fill in the blank) to one’s
self. Promises are made to be broken and
once into the New Year the resolutions start to fall by the wayside.
I propose instead to set goals. Small attainable goals and maybe one or two
more difficult goals. For instance:
Resolution: I want to lose weight and get in shape.
Small
goals and something concrete to shoot for:
I want to lose five lbs by June and take a walk around the block five
days a week.
Resolution: I want to complete a 100,000 word manuscript,
send it out and acquire an agent or editor.
Small goals,
attainable goals: I will write five days
a week. Aiming for 1,000 words a
day. When the manuscript is complete, I will
query two agents and two editors each week.
Small goals, attainable goals.
I think you can see the difference. Goals are more flexible and what you aim for
is a specific attainable goal.
Resolutions are set in stone and are the big picture, not necessarily
attainable.
I never make my New Year’s Goals until well into
January. I have a few this year, in a
few different areas of my life, and I will share with you.
1)
I will write for at least one hour every day. My hope is I will write for four hours every
day, but at least for one hour.
2)
For family:
I will bring my mother to visit her sister who is ninety years old at
least every two weeks. Even though It drives me nuts to hear my Aunt repeat the same story four or five times. :))
3)
I want to lose four lbs by the end of March. I’ll join the diet plan at my gym for the
next two months. Should be a piece of
cake, pardon the pun.
4)
On my off days from the gym, I will walk around
the block for a little added exercise.
5)
I will find four things for which I am grateful
in each day, no matter how bad the day was. I will write it down in my Gratitude diary.
Do you make any New Year’s Resolutions or Goals? Have you stuck to your resolutions or goals
so far this year?
8 comments:
I like the idea of goals instead of resolutions, Diana. The fact is, a little flexibility makes goals seem more attainable.
No resolutions for me! But you've inspired me to write some goals:
1) Write for 2 hrs. at least five days a week.
2) Spend at least 10 min. connecting on Social Media at least three days a week.
3) To improve my non-existent fitness level, I found a plan that I can do with arthritis at home that goes from Getting Started to Fit.
4) Eat more vegetables.
5) Call a faraway family member twice a week.
THANKS FOR THE INSPIRATION!
I like your goals, Sarah! Especially connecting with family members far away! Happy New Year!
I hear you on resolutions. I have yet to succeed when I make a resolution but I nearly always attain the goals I set out. I think resolutions are more wishful thinking and goals are more concrete. And as you say by setting attainable goals they are met.
I know you'll do all the goals you've set in place.
My goals are:
To write 5 books this year. I don't do a set number of words because things happen and then I'm beating myself up over not making that word count. But by having the titles of the books on a sticky note I know that is my goal.
And to walk every day and watch what I eat.
Family is a given. We see them rather we want to or not. LOL We're headed to see our kids in Alaska this month.
Thanks for stopping by Paty! You made some good points on goal setting. I say what ever works go with it.
I set goals rather than resolutions too! I used to feel I'd failed when I couldn't keep resolutions, so I stopped makng them and it works out far better. Good luck with yours!
I haven't done NYResolutions for a very long time but I do set goals, write them out, and check back to see how I'm doing. I used my 2013 writing goals to spark my 2014 writing goals. Every day (well, almost every day - I do miss once or twice a month), I write out 10 things I'm grateful for in the morning and every night I think back over my day and pick 1 thing (sometimes it ends up being 2 - 3 because the day was fantastic) I'm most grateful for.
I've just started working my way through Louise Hays' You Can Heal Your Life.
Focusing on what is going well, what I love, and what brings me joy adds a positive energy to my day and I get so much more accomplished. I am my own worst enemy when I let the words "can't", "hard", and other words of doubt be a part of my vocabulary.
I haven't done NYResolutions for a very long time but I do set goals, write them out, and check back to see how I'm doing. I used my 2013 writing goals to spark my 2014 writing goals. Every day (well, almost every day - I do miss once or twice a month), I write out 10 things I'm grateful for in the morning and every night I think back over my day and pick 1 thing (sometimes it ends up being 2 - 3 because the day was fantastic) I'm most grateful for.
I've just started working my way through Louise Hays' You Can Heal Your Life.
Focusing on what is going well, what I love, and what brings me joy adds a positive energy to my day and I get so much more accomplished. I am my own worst enemy when I let the words "can't", "hard", and other words of doubt be a part of my vocabulary.
I think you hit the nail on the head. Goals are like a map, they lead you in the right direction and allow you to make detours when needed.
Post a Comment