Goal Setting and New Year’s Resolutions

For many of us, New Year’s resolutions are grandly made and easily broken. Why? Because a resolution is just that—a decision. To make a life change, you need more than a decision. 



You need a plan. The plan is the guide to put your decision into action so that you can reach your goal. It’s up to you to take steps to get closer to your goal. Learning how to set goals takes practice. 

Whether you resolve to lose weight, save money, or adopt a healthier lifestyle, New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep. By Valentine’s Day, most New Year’s resolutions are a distant memory. 

Help your child understand that time and patience are usually involved in making changes. It takes time and commitment to your plan for your resolution to become a habit. Setting a small goal, like getting up half an hour earlier in the morning so that you can get where you need to be on time, may be challenging—it just takes practice. After a few weeks or months, it will just be a positive habit. 

Knowing that you can make small changes can give you the motivation and confidence to tackle a bigger goal. An adult may choose to become a nonsmoker or start exercising regularly; a child could choose dribbling a soccer ball or practicing multiplication tables on a daily basis. 

Setting realistic goals can lead to a healthier lifestyle and improved self-esteem. The temptation to make New Year’s resolutions can be strong, but you can set all kinds of goals at any time during the year. 

Pick a day that’s meaningful for you—your birthday, your anniversary, your child’s birthday, or any personal date. Children also benefit from learning how to plan and reach goals. It helps them learn how to manage their time and make good decisions—skills that can have a lasting and positive impact on their future. 

Together with your child, set a healthy goal and create a plan! Working toward goals can improve your life in many ways. Once you’ve accomplished a goal, be it big or small, you’ll know it can be done and you’ll have confidence for your next goal. 

The following tips can help you and your children successfully plan and achieve your goals: 
• Be specific. When thinking about goals, be as exact as possible. People who set specific goals are more likely to succeed. For example, instead of saying that you want to save money, set a specific goal to save $20 (or whatever your goal amount is) per week. 

• Put it in writing. Write down exactly what you want to achieve and post it in a place where you will see it every day. This will help remind you of what you’re working toward. When you write, use positive terms. For example, instead of writing, "I will stop eating junk food" re-word your goal in more positive terms: "I will make healthy food choices." 

• Set realistic goals. When you think about setting goals, make sure that they are within your reach. Be mindful of your finances, schedule, and other personal affairs. Remembering these important factors will help you set realistic goals. It’s unreasonable to expect to make a lot of big changes at the same time. 

• Develop an action plan. Create a timeline with steps toward your goal. Set deadlines for each step and cross them off as you go. Sometimes just crossing things off and watching your list get smaller can give you a sense of accomplishment and help you stay motivated. 

• Believe in yourself. Stay positive about your progress. Share your goal with a friend and ask him to help keep your spirits up. To quote Henry Ford, “If you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” 

• Be flexible. Keep in mind that setbacks can happen. Don't get discouraged and give up. Try again! Your hard work will pay off! 

• Ask for help. If you get stuck or need a little encouragement, don’t be afraid to talk about it. You might be surprised what kind of support people offer. 

• Reward yourself. Acknowledge your achievements, even the small ones. Reaching a goal takes hard work and you should be proud of your efforts. Celebrating could mean sharing an apple with your child or taking some time for yourself. Having clear goals and a plan can bring your family together and help you be healthier all year. 

All positive changes—tiny or drastic—can improve your everyday life. 

Make this New Year count and create a plan to follow through on your resolutions!  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

5-Step Plan to Reverse Diabetes

Image
Step 1: Remove These Foods to Reverse Diabetes Naturally Certain foods negatively affect your blood sugar levels, cause inflammation and trigger immune responses. To reverse diabetes naturally, the first step is to remove these foods from your diet: Refined sugar: Refined sugar rapidly spikes blood glucose, and soda, fruit juice and other sugary beverages are the worst culprits. These forms of sugar enter the bloodstream rapidly and can cause extreme elevations in blood glucose. (7) Even though natural sweeteners like raw honey and maple syrup are better options, they can still affect blood sugar levels, so only use these foods on occasion. Your best option is to switch to stevia, a natural sweetener that won’t have as much of an impact. Grains: Grains, especially gluten-containing grains like wheat, contain large amounts of carbohydrates that are broken down into sugar within only a few minutes of consumption. Gluten can cause intestinal inflammation, which affects hormones like...
Read more

Does apple cider vinegar help people with diabetes?

Image
Apple cider vinegar may have various health benefits, such as supporting weight loss and managing blood sugar. These benefits could help people with or at risk of diabetes. However, scientific research has not yet confirmed them. Scientists have yet to back up the majority of the health claims around apple cider vinegar with significant clinical research. However, some evidence has emerged to suggest that apple cider vinegar may have particular benefits for the management of diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic condition that leads to an inability to manage blood sugar levels properly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 1980, around 108 million people had diabetes. Its prevalence has significantly increased over the past few decades to an estimated 422 million in 2014. This article looks at the research that links apple cider vinegar and diabetes, as well as ways to take apple cider vinegar effectively. According to scientists, apple cider vinegar has the potential to ...
Read more

The Dangers of Ego-Driven Spending: A Call for Reality Check

Image
In a world where status and outward appearances reign supreme, it's all too easy to fall into the trap of ego-driven spending. We live in a society where success is often measured by the size of our possessions and the prestige of our lifestyle. As a result, many of us find ourselves chasing after the latest trends and splurging on luxury items in a bid to keep up with the Joneses. But what if I told you that some of the wealthiest individuals in the world eschew ostentatious displays of wealth in favor of a more modest lifestyle? Take, for example, Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors of all time. Despite his immense wealth, Buffett is known for his frugal habits, driving the same modest car and living in the same unassuming house for decades. Similarly, tech titan Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, is often seen wearing a simple gray t-shirt and jeans, despite being worth billions of dollars. And then there's Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, who fam...
Read more