New Year, Same You?

Inspiration in case your goals are slipping
By
Wendy Shafranski
January 31, 2024
New Year, Same You?

Wendy Shafranski

   •    

January 31, 2024

Well, hello February. Statistics show this is the time where resolutions lose steam. I am not a fan of resolutions because my thought is this: if you want to make a change, do it. January isn’t a magical date.


If you’ve set a goal and are struggling, below is some inspiration.


Put it out in the universe. Don’t keep your goal to yourself. Tell the people you care about so they can support you and you have greater accountability.


Post your goal where you see it daily. This could be on your bathroom mirror, your desk, your dashboard, etc.


Don’t lose sight of your why. It’s not enough to simply state a goal. Really dig deep and list all the reasons why achieving it is important, how it will change your life for the better.  


Visualize how it will feel when you complete the big goal. Don’t leave out any details. Hone in on your future self. And visualize how all the small steps will make you feel (how effing great you feel after a workout; how in control you feel when you eat right).


Identify negative self-talk or excuses and smash them. Be hyper-aware of the language you use and flip the negatives to positives. For instance, I “get” to do X instead of I “have” to do X.


It’s great to have a BHAG (big, hairy audacious goal), but break that down into smaller goals.  And celebrate the small wins. They help keep you going and factor into the larger picture.


Embrace failure. We all fail. Mistakes are common. View failure as a learning opportunity and pivot, if necessary.  


Embrace the struggle. Choose to be challenged. Change is hard and requires sacrifice. We can do hard things. Hard things are rewarding.


Win today. Focus on today, one day at a time.  


Develop a personal mantra or positive affirmations. Come up with a positive statement and tell it to yourself daily. Bonus points if you do it in the mirror.


Write a personal mission statement that includes your purpose, goals and what legacy you want to leave. Let that steer your actions and decisions.  


Set yourself up for success. Whether it’s laying out your workout clothes, food prepping, getting more organized or blocking out time in your calendar to work on a goal, every goal needs a system.


Find joy in the journey. If you actually enjoy working towards a goal, you are probably more likely to reach it (intrinsic motivation, baby!).


Instead of comparing yourself to others, let others inspire you.


Reflect on how far you’ve come.


Commit to playing the long game. There’s no such thing as an overnight success.  


Show up for yourself.


Now, not all of these will resonate with you, but I hope one moves you to action. I believe in you!

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