Setting Intentions for the New Year: How to Make Your Resolutions a Reality
The New Year gives us an exciting and fresh opportunity that we don’t always feel we get the rest of the year. We can think of ourselves like that mountain goat! In this cold, dark time of the year, we too have to forge rocky terrain to get to those parts of ourselves where we see more light. When we set our New Year’s resolutions, we can set ourselves up for success by outlining all the necessary SMART goal components. We can ask ourselves: is this really sustainable for me all year? How specific is my goal? Is this attainable in my lifestyle right now, or is this something I need to gradually work my way up to? Is this relevant to where I’m at on my journey right now? And then we can make our goals time-based by breaking it down into smaller, bite-sized chunks. Reminders could be little notes to ourselves, motivational quotes, a mantra, or even scheduling events on our calendars to check in with ourselves about the goal. Lastly, be gentle with ourselves! Change takes both hard work and time. What are the ways we can reward ourselves for our efforts and give ourselves a little sweetness? When we reach a milestone, we can treat ourselves to some self love! We need to do those things that bring us joy, be it diving into a good book, a hot bath, a new outfit, a massage, a class we’ve wanted to take, etc. What are some ways your making changes in the New Year?
