Start Your 2018 New Year’s Resolution Right This Minute

Yep! I’m recommending an early New Year’s Resolution plan and here’s why. On December 31^st, most of us come up with a few big resolutions. “I’m going to lose twenty pounds.” “I’m going to get organized.” “I’m going to start working out.” And although these resolutions are fine, they are doomed to failure because they are too general and lacking a realistic success plan.

Instead, start now and set yourself up for success. Let’s say you want to lose twenty pounds. How are you going to lose the weight? When will you lose it by? What aspects of your life do you need to change in order to lose the weight? Just saying that you will lose twenty pounds without a plan is a guaranteed road to failure and discouragement. Why do you think most people don’t achieve their resolution and ultimately put it off to the following year?

From Resolution to Reality

So first, get really specific about what would have to change in order to lose twenty pounds.  Will you start exercising? Change how you exercise? Reduce calories? Get more sleep? Pick one of those first and then ask yourself, “What’s the first step I want to take in order to achieve this goal?” Maybe your first step is to check out gyms or get a doctor’s clearance or buy a new pair of workout shoes.

Take your first step and then get specific and clear on the next step so that you are achieving your goal one tiny step at a time. When we set a large, unclear goal, our mind has no idea how to process that and make it happen. A step by small step approach leads to clarity and small victories throughout the process. Also, if you get stuck on one small step, you can figure out what’s holding you back versus getting stuck on the big goal and being unclear as to why you didn’t achieve it.

So, sit down today and write out a list of big goals for 2018 and then break those big goals into a bunch of small, manageable, quickly achievable steps. If you get stuck on a step, ask yourself why. Is it something that is confusing to you? Something you don’t enjoy? Or something you are afraid of? These are the most common reasons we get stuck.

Let’s make 2018 the year we accomplish our resolutions so they don’t show up again in 2019!

Love,

Lisa Kaplin Psy. D. PCC