Easy solutions for keeping New Year's Resolutions

Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

by Shaunna Privratsky

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Are you tired of the same old New Year's Resolutions? Sick of giving up after just a few days into the new year? Well, here are some easy solutions for keeping your New Year's Resolutions.

Here are some questions to answer when you are setting a new goal:

What are you hoping to accomplish?
What is your reason?
What results are you looking for?
Are there several ways to approach this goal?
What is the best approach for you?
What are the obstacles you expect to encounter?
How are you going to overcome them?
What steps will you take to begin accomplishing your goal?
What resources or finances will you need to reach your goal?
Will you need help for any of your steps?
Is this a realistic goal for you?

Now let's put your goals into action. I'm sure you've heard that a habit is formed in twenty-one days. Give yourself a month and you will be surprised at how well you are doing. Here are some more tips.

Get in motion. Action creates momentum and positive results will keep you going back for more.
Baby steps get you there faster. Break your goals into small, manageable tasks. If you set the bar too high, it is easy to get discouraged and quit.
Don't just think it; ink it. Keep a log of your progress. You'll be able to see what is working and your results so far. You will stay committed much longer than if you just think about doing it.
Keep on eye on the big picture. So what if you totally blew your diet at Uncle Jerry's 40th birthday bash? Do an extra workout the next day and start fresh. Don't give up on yourself after a slip. Every day is a new opportunity to shine.
Team up with someone and your motivation skyrockets. Not only will you be accountable to that person, you'll gain encouragement and support on those down days. Plus it's twice as much fun!
Good morning, Sunshine! When you train yourself to be a morning person, you are upping your odds of succeeding, no matter what you goals you are striving for. Completing the workout, task or step early gives you energy and a sense of accomplishment the rest of the day. If you keep putting it off, excuses pile up.
Pat yourself on the back. Every time you reach a goal, or master another step on the road to success, reward yourself. Take pride in what you've done and look forward to reaching the next goal. Small, mini-rewards are the easiest way to stay motivated.
Make it visual. Get a large poster board and track your progress. You might use a simple graph, or a pie chart to visualize the progress you are making. Tack it up in a prominent place to keep your motivation focused.
Talk it out. There are tons of support groups for everything imaginable. If you can't find one close by, or prefer the anonymity of the Internet, join or start a blog. This is simply an informal place to share your thoughts and feelings, and to record the ups and downs of reaching your goal. You can share as much or as little as you want.
Daydream a bit. Imagine what your life will be like once you reach your goal. Visualize it happening, and you are more likely to succeed.

By creating a plan, you are committing to it. Following the steps you create will lead to mini-goals, rewards and help you stay motivated. Good luck; I know you can do it!

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Easy solutions for keeping New Year's Resolutions

Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

by Shaunna Privratsky

Your money-saving tip could be worth $100!

Get free money-saving tips and articles in your inbox each week!