Happy 2021 Friends!
I am so grateful to start the year with you! What did you do for New Year’s Eve? Did you light off firecrackers? Make a traditional food? Did you drink water in between flutes of champagne (#hydration)?
As is customary, people tend to set resolutions for the year (the history of which dates back around two thousand years!), yet many of those resolutions falter and can even leave us feeling negatively about our effort. So I’m calling for a mindset shift. Let’s take a look at a few words before we get started.
-Resolution (definition): a firm decision to do or not to do something.
-Intentions (definition) a thing intended; an aim or plan.
-Goal (definition): the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.
Let’s instead call them New Year’s Goals, if we call them resolutions then we can change our mind. My resolution is to write in a journal daily. If it becomes too difficult, I can make a firm decision to stop. Intentions are plans, plans change. And while intentions are great for mental wellness, we’re specifically talking about how to aim where success is not getting close, success is hitting the bullseye. Many of us set ourselves up for success by having a plan B, some friends even a plan C (kudos for allowing yourself the ability to adjust expectations accordingly). I know even more of us plan for a specific end result, when that plan doesn’t meet the desired result, this can lead to feelings of failure or ineptness.
See how changing the mindset around the name changes our commitment to it?
This Week’s Topic – New Year’s Goals
Fast Fact 1: When considering goals for this year, what about a continuation of resolutions or intentions that didn’t progress as desired from last year?! What did you do well and what could you have done even better? That allows you to reshape the former decision or plan into achievable goals!
Fast Fact 2: Having a clearly defined and achievable goal means you will know when you have accomplished it, which makes you more likely to complete the goal. Think with action verbs – I will read 10 books this year. Instead of, I will read more this year.
Fast Fact 3: Who is your accountability partner? When we have someone on our team, they check in on us and can support us when we are lacking motivation. The best part is, you can use our Wellness Wednesday posts as your accountability partner!
Bonus Fast Fact: Most importantly, have a celebration for yourself once you’ve reached the goal! Since our brain is wired to process negativity three times more than positivity (as a survival method), when we don’t stop to acknowledge our accomplishment then our memory is tied to the hard parts and we overlook the benefits gained, then thoughts like, “Why even try, no one will notice anyway?” become a part of our story because we, ourselves, did not notice all that we achieved. It doesn’t even need to be a huge celebration: Your favorite dinner, writing a note to an accountability partner, a new wallet, specialty tea or coffee, a movie or book, new clothes to supplement the achieved goal, etc.
I would love for you to share what’s resonating with you about this week’s topic in the comments below. Healthy Happens Every Day was founded to be your accountability partner. I get such joy walking with you to an end result that makes you proud of yourself!
I appreciate you holding space for me and gifting yourself this time, and am excited for what 2021 will bring!
“See” you next week,
Shanna
Healthy Happens Every Day 