3 steps to making resolutions you can keep.

So here we are, the beginning of January and everywhere you turn there are commercials or ads for diet plans, gyms, organizational tools, and anything else you might need to reinvent yourself. Many people use January as the time to buckle down and change their unfavorable habits or pick up good ones, but why does it have to be so drastic? Why is this the only time of the year we emphasize positive change?

Most of us are good people with more good habits than bad ones, and we don't need to reinvent ourselves or make drastic changes. Instead of planning for a total overhaul of the current "you," I encourage you to think about what are the not so great habits that you want to change this year, and plan on working on those changes throughout the year. Not all at once and not all in January. Instead of setting new year's resolutions, set your 2014 resolutions.

Here are 3 steps to making resolutions you can keep.

1. Go for simple and sustainable to set yourself up for success.
Creating a resolution that causes you to completely change your schedule or your current way of living isn't realistic. Instead, think about creating resolutions for yourself that are simple enough to fit into your current schedule and are sustainable.  The key is to create resolutions that are realistic for you, so you can pick up and start again tomorrow when you don't quite hit the mark today.  Set yourself up for success, not failure.
NOT sustainable: Crash diets. They can be effective for a quick 10 pounds before your trip to Mexico, but it is very difficult to keep that weight off indefinitely.
Sustainable: Changing your eating habits.  Decreasing the amount of processed/fast food or increasing the amount of plant foods and lean meats you eat, are better resolutions. They are realistic and something you can continue to do for the rest of your life if you so choose.
NOT sustainable: Wake up every morning at 5am to work out for an hour. At some point you are going to be exhausted, take a break, and then it is really hard to get back into the routine. Eventually you drop it all together because your goal was every day and you just couldn't do it.
Sustainable: Wake up at 5am, 3 times a week to work out. This is much more realistic because you can plan your 3 days around your hectic schedule, and those 3 days can change each week as necessary.

2. Focus on one step at a time.
Complete overhauls can be overwhelming. Losing 8.3 pounds a month this year sounds and feels a lot more doable than losing 100 pounds this year. When your resolution is a big one such as this, focus on the trees, not the forest. Set weekly or monthly goals and track your progress. Even if you fall off one week, you still have 3 more in the month to make it up.  If you are going to set a resolution such as this, be sure to refer back to step #1.

2. Strive for personal satisfaction, not perfection.
What are we trying to prove? There aren't many professions that give out awards for being the best at something.  Most of us won't win an Oscar or the Super Bowl, and there isn't really an award for being the best mother/father, wife/husband, team leader, etc. in the world. So, be forgiving and give yourself a break.  A store bought cake or gift card is just as valuable as a homemade cake/gift because thought and effort do count. A call to your friend on her birthday is just as kind as getting a card in the mail (on time!).  Perfection can be paralyzing and sometimes good has to be good enough.  Surround yourself with people who care about you, your thoughts, intentions and your efforts. If you find yourself falling into a competitive mode, move out of circles where everyone is competing to be the best, drive the best, or look the best.  Do what you need to do for you.  Life isn't a race, it a journey that goes by quickly, so you might as well enjoy it. If it is a race, why would you want to be the first one to the finish line?

So, Happy New Year!  2014 can be a great year, if you decide that is what you want. If you need a friendly push or support throughout the year, I am here to help. Please contact me if you are interested in coaching and/or de-cluttering your mind, schedule, work style or home.

Take Control. Simplify. Make it Happen.