There is no denying that 2020 has tested us, but in a lot of ways, it has made us stronger. And maybe some good has come from it! A forced slow-down, a return to weekends at home, more time outdoors. Will you carry any of these things into 2021?
With a much-anticipated fresh start, have you made a New Year’s Resolution? What’s your 2021 plan? Here are a few tips to turn your goals into reality!
- Be kind to yourself. Things aren’t going to magically change overnight, so give yourself grace. Celebrate that you survived a tough year and be proud. And remember that sleep and self-care should always be goals!
- Set goals that are realistic and attainable. If you’re new to it, a running goal could be running a 5K in 2 months, and if you’ve recently finished a half-marathon, maybe it’s a full marathon in 3 months? Look at the calendar and be honest with yourself about what is reasonable. Also, decide if you’re looking for an in-person event or virtual and choose an event based upon your calendar. (Don’t forget your running armband!)
- Start small and then get bigger. Can you set a goal to change one or two things daily that will add up to a monthly or yearly goal? One less soda or one more pushup than normal may not sound like much on the day-to-day level, but over a year, those small tweaks add up to BIG changes!
- Create goals for different areas of your life. Some categories you might think about are financial, business, relationship, and health & fitness.
- Make sure that your goals can be tracked. Are you doing something a certain number of days per week? What about saving x amount of dollars? Cutting out a certain sweet? You want to be able to measure your success, so you can check progress and reassess if necessary.
- Write them down. And read them every day single day. Some people create a vision board and hang it on their closet door or refrigerator. Others use dry erase markers on their bathroom mirror. You could keep them in your planner or on your desk, or add them to the notes in your iPhone. Just don’t hide them!
- Share them. Tell your friends and family what you’re working on and why these things matter to you. The more accountability you have, the better. And you never know, someone just might jump in to join you.
- Speak positively. Whether you say affirmations, talk as if goals have already happened, or choose to truly believe, you can speak things into fruition. As the saying goes, “Whether you believe that you can or you can’t, you’re right.” And don’t forget the hard work that goes with achieving your goals!
