6 Tips to Help You Slay this Year’s Resolutions

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resolutionsIt’s that time of year when the initial burst of New Year “freshness” is starting to wear off. You may have bounded off to the gym multiple times a week when January started, dressed head to toe in your shiny new workout gear. But now the excitement of your resolutions is starting to taper off. Maybe you set out to read more classic literature, but “Wuthering Heights” has been patiently waiting on your nightstand, pages remaining crisp and untouched after chapter 4.

Before you throw in the towel and dismiss all the resolutions you made in 2018, take a look at these tips. They will not only revive them, but give you a needed boost towards accomplishing them: 

1. Assess Value

  • Ask yourself WHY is this a goal in the first place? Is this something I value, or is this something I THINK I should value? Does someone else feel I should value this? Think honestly and prioritize accordingly. It’s your time, and your life. Maybe you don’t actually care about reading the classics and that is ok! For those resolutions you DO care about, brainstorm some ways to keep yourself inspired and help remind you of your end goal. Refer to those things often! 
  • If you are letting a “fun goal” go to make space for a goal that’s less fun but higher in importance (like learning to eat healthy or sticking to a grocery budget), it won’t be easy, but you CAN do this! And you’ll be so glad you did. Side note: I’m working on the grocery budget one and it’s not easy… so I can empathize!! 

2. Manage expectations

  • In your mind, what does it look like to accomplish your goal? Perhaps you wanted to climb some fourteeners this year. What factors do you need to consider?  Think about your current fitness level, whether or not you’ll need to train, and how much time per week or month that would take. Set yourself up for success and tweak your goals accordingly. Maybe you only do one or two, but you prepare for them in advance by setting aside a manageable amount of time. 

3. Make tweaks and get creative

  • Did you start the year with a resolution to wake at 5am every day and go for a run, only to realize you are not a morning person and don’t actually enjoy the act of running? Perhaps the reason you felt waking up at 5am was needed is because you have little ones around you during the day. If that’s that case, rethink your exercise routine. Maybe you do a daily walk with the stroller where you focus on charging up and down hills. Maybe you do squats while a toddler giggles away in the ergo carrier. Think more creatively about your own situation, resources and circumstances, there may be a solution hiding somewhere! 

4. Avoid comparison

  • I have a friend that is extremely gifted when it comes to organizing. I envy the fact that her house is always impeccably kept and never seems to have an ounce of clutter. I could watch Marie Kondo for hours, but still be completely clueless when it comes time to organize my utensil drawer. This same friend always comments that she wishes she was as comfortable in the kitchen as I am. It’s tempting to see these things in each other and feel discouraged, but celebrating these differences is just better for everyone. We’ll even call each other with questions in each other’s “areas of expertise.”
  • Better than anyone else, you know your own areas of strength and areas of growth. Newsflash: We all have both! Also, be aware that social media provides a one-sided look at someone else’s life. Everyone struggles with something! 

5. Give yourself grace

  • I’ve told my kids on numerous occasions, “It doesn’t have to be perfect, just try your best!” Yet I don’t always seem to make the same allowances for myself. Despite the very best of intentions, sometimes life just happens. Kids get sick, jobs change, expenses go up. Even if you completely botch things up today, remember… there is always tomorrow! 

6. Celebrate Victories 

  • If you’ve reached 1/4 of your goal, that’s a cause for celebration. Tell at least one person! And, treat yourself to something special. Acknowledging those smaller milestones along the way will help give you that push to keep going on your resolutions. You’ve got this! 

 

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Danielle
Danielle was born and raised on Long Island, NY. She married a handsome country boy from Idaho and together they moved out to Colorado for a new adventure. Ten years later, they have 3 children, ages 6, 4 and 16 months. Though she sometimes misses the beaches and the Italian bakeries back east, her daily view of snowcapped mountains and the piercing blue sky remind her that she wouldn't want to live anywhere else. She reads cookbooks for fun and loves getting creative in the kitchen. A musician at heart, she can't walk by a grand piano without sitting down and playing for as long as those around her will let her. Her favorite thing to do with her little ones is snuggle under a quilt with them and read through a fresh stack of library books. She hopes her life will reflect the things she values most- her faith, family and friends (both the flesh ones and the TV show).