Let’s get it going! Use this guide to plan your New Year wellness.
A Guide for your New Year’s Resolution:
New Year’s Resolutions are notoriously fickle. With 2020 put to bed, use this handy worksheet as a guide to make sure you start 2021 off right — with clear goals that stick and an attitude to match.
1. Resolutions
A. What is your resolution?
B. List everything you can think of as you reflect on the following:
When I think about health and wellness (mental, spiritual, and physical), I want to improve:
2. Alignment
A. What is the most important desire from the above list? Write it here:
B. Does it match with your resolution?
3. Looking at number 1 and 2, list the reasons that each is important to you.
4. Pick your goal. Is this a keystone goal? Reflect on how this goal can influence other areas of your life positively.
A keystone goal takes priority over other goals due to its ability to snowball productivity in more than one area. For example, choosing between goals of alleviating insomnia and reading more often, one may choose to focus on getting a full night of sleep due to the numerous benefits that may have on other goals, like being able to focus while reading, and general well-being altogether. Think about the goal that gives you the best yield and may make it easier to achieve other goals of yours.
To learn more about keystone habits, read my piece involving goal-setting here.
5. Convert it into a smart goal:
SMART goals aim your sights on goals that work for you, not against you.
Put simply, examine your goal and mold it to be more Specific, Measurable, Achievable (Realistic), Relevant to your long term goals, and Time-Bound (with a deadline).
To learn more comprehensively about Smart Goals, click through to a piece that discusses them in-depth.
S –
M –
A –
R –
T –
6. Write down a list of obstacles that may get in your way of achieving this goal:
7. How can you get around, over or under these obstacles?
8. Check in with yourself. How are you feeling? Are you doubting yourself? Do you need to reaffirm your commitment to your goal?
9. How will you measure your wins? (This one is really important).
10. Write a short summary of how you are going to be successful! I see it now.
11. Put your SMART goal into ACTION.
12. Evaluate and adjust if needed.
Even the best laid plans sometimes don’t happen. That’s why it’s important to have a system in place to stay mindful and intentional. For example, a friend of mine gives herself a star when she completes her daily health goal. This may sound silly for an adult, but sometimes life gets busy and a reminder is needed. A daily visual cue is a great way to motivate chaining habits or to see if you’re missing a big-picture pattern.
Confession:
I have a minimum rule — 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, 5 days a week Monday through Friday. The only rule is time, so exertion levels vary. I have 3 activities that I pick from; walking, spinning and running. When I’m done, I put a star on my calendar. 🌟
I recommend tracking daily. Ask yourself what worked well today and what was a challenge. Is there anything I need to adjust to make this work better?
I spend a few moments reflecting: Was the situation out of my control? If yes, then I tell myself “It is what it is” and, because I do the best that I can, I let it go. But sometimes, it’s an accountability moment. Did I get complacent? How did my thoughts get in my way? Did I say I could do it later when I know that as the day progresses the opportunity for self-care decreases? That being said — I have to set myself up for success. I give myself a little pep talk, put my clothes out the night before and get to it early the next day — no judgment — just reflecting and reaffirming my commitment to me and doing the tasks I set out to do.
13. Identify your areas you spend negative energy and be your own cheerleader.
For many, it’s the scale. If you get stuck on the number on the scale, be careful that you’re not minimizing your effort, maximizing the significance of the number, or catastrophizing. It’s not the end of the world!
Instead of beating yourself up, say: “Go away automatic negative thought, I’m focusing my energy on getting to my goals!” Your thoughts don’t have to define you. You can disengage from negative thoughts, especially automatic thoughts that don’t reflect your intent or that distort reality.
And I use a pre-drafted mantra to put it back into perspective:
Wellness is not a number on a scale, it is about feeling good, being productive and having energy (you can insert your “why” here).
The number on the scale is just one of the measurements I use to create self-awareness and understanding of my body.
14. Keep going!
Self-care is not easy, it’s about changing habits and working towards your wellness. It should be about gentle self-discovery, accepting and loving yourself, and feeling good overall. Wellness is a lifelong process. What will you uncover getting to this goal?
Thanks for reading this article! For more information, visit me at strategizeyourwellness.com.
“The thing about goals is that living without them is a lot more fun, in the short run. It seems to me, though, that the people who get things done, who lead, who grow and who make an impact… those people have goals.” — Seth Godin
