How to make New Years resolutions with a healthy mindset
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Every time a new year comes, I’m always surprised at how quickly the current year has flown by. Am I right!? It’s like, this happens every single 365 days…why are we STILL surprised?
The New Year definitely stirs up a lot of emotions in us. Very positive, hopeful and excited feelings for some- and anxious, nervous and doubtful in others. For me, it’s always been a blend of the two.
It’s easier said then done to enter into a new year without any trepidation and fully confident that all your hopes and dreams will come true. So I think it’s completely normal to be both a little anxious AND excited at the same time.
This brings me to the topic of resolutions.
What comes to mind for you when I say that word?
Do you love them, feel inspired by them, hate them, resent them?
New Years resolutions are a tradition that have been around for quite some time (actually 4,000 years to be exact believe it or not) so why are we still feeling challenged by upholding them? I’m about to share why…and should we make them or shouldn’t we?
I’m in the camp that is FOR New Years resolutions, and over the years I’ve gathered some powerful insight on how to make them so that they WORK. YAY!
After all- anyone can put something out into the universe, but what steps are you taking to make them happen?
I truly believe that the tips I’m about to share can be applied to any goal(s) you have all year long, so I hope they’re very helpful for you!
Start Small
This is incredibly important. There’s nothing wrong with thinking big picture, but you’re much more likely to reach your goals and do so realistically and successfully by taking it step by step.
Our brains and bodies just work better this way.
Due to the modern era of quick fixes and unrealistic results represented in the media- we’re creatures of wanting things now, but I promise you that by starting small and taking it slow, you’ll be more likely to find success and see the permanent change you’ve always envisioned.
For example someone’s New Year resolution may be to lose 20 pounds. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that being a goal- but framing it in that way can feel very overwhelming and when it’s not happening right away, you may get frustrated and end up throwing in the towel.
Here are a few ways to re-phrase that resolution by starting small:
- Go for a 30 minute walk on my lunch break Monday-Friday
- Wake up 15 minutes earlier in the mornings so I can prepare a healthy breakfast (eggs, green smoothie, paleo pancakes)
- Grocery shop and meal prep on Sunday afternoon so I have healthy food ready-to-go for the work week (veggies roasted, proteins prepared)
- Pick out a fun new recipe and cook at home on Friday nights instead of getting take-out or going out to eat
See how these smaller steps add up to a lot and are ultimately going to be the things that change your lifestyle, nutrition and healthy habits that will with time and consistency shift the scale?
Just saying you want to lose weight doesn’t necessarily refocus you in any specific way and most likely you will feel the pressure of that big-plan goal on your shoulders every day and lose direction and focus.
Instead, starting small and making much more attainable and practical resolutions will greatly improve your life and get you on your way to reaching your goals!
Be Specific
When you are looking to change anything about yourself, lifestyle, eating habits, mindset- it’s important to tap into the WHY.
So when putting together your New Year resolution(s) consider the why. Touching on the weight loss goal mentioned in the last tip- instead of just saying you want to lose 20 pounds, dig into the WHY. It will also help if you ask yourself WHY NOW?
For example instead of just saying I want to lose 20 pounds you say:
- I want to lose 20 pounds because then I’ll have more energy to run around and play with my kids
- I want to lose 20 pounds because then I’ll look forward to buying a new outfit and going to my high school graduation
- I want to lose 20 pounds because then the joint pain I’m experiencing is reduced and I can go for long hikes again without pain
- I want to lose 20 pounds because then I’ll be treating my body with the love and respect it deserves and I’ll inspire my family to do the same
Do you see how phrasing your resolution this way gets you more excited and motivated? A big goal like losing 20 pounds can be daunting, but if you have a WHY then you can always go back to that on the tough days and become re-inspired all over again!
The WHY is crucial here- so tap into that and start there first and foremost. It will only benefit you in a big way to get very very specific on WHY and WHY NOW.
Write It Down
There is so much power in taking a pen to paper. For many people, it may feel foreign to get a journal or a notebook and actually fill the pages with your thoughts because we’ve been doing everything on our computers and phones for so long now.
But when we’re talking about goals and resolutions I urge you to take the extra step and write them down.
Get them out of your brain and write them out.
And do so following the two steps I’ve just mentioned- starting small, and getting specific (discovering the WHY).
It may be helpful to just brainstorm for a while and write out all of your feeling and emotions about the new year and what you hope to achieve.
Just write- don’t judge anything coming up and don’t even worry about it all making sense!
I’m also a fan of mindset work and mantras. This can be as simple as writing one statement over and over again. I think something a lot of us battle is the feeling of worth so a mantra for you could be, “I am worthy.”
Any affirmative statement that resonates with you and will support you in reaching your resolution or goals works great- there is no right or wrong here!
I hope these tips were helpful for you! I’d love to hear your resolutions if sharing them feels right! Simply hit reply and let me know :)