It’s that time of year again! The time where we celebrate the triumphs and struggles of the previous year and prepare for all the fun of the year to come. For many, this is a time to make resolutions or goals for self-improvement and January is used as a natural jumping off point. The only problem is, most people start off towards their goal with a sense of excitement and anticipation, but as the days, weeks, and months go by, the initial excitement wears off it’s easy to simply give up. That is why I’ve put together a list of some great ways to help keep motivation stronger.

Be S.M.A.R.T with your goals

Making general goals isn’t bad, but it can be hard to know how to get started. Using the SMART goal-making technique can give you a clear path to reach what you want. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable/Action-oriented, Realistic/Relevant, and Time-bound. So instead of saying “I want to work out more” you would say “I want to do a 30 to 60 minute workout (specific and measurable) 3 times a week (measurable, achievable and realistic, if you aren’t working out at all) every week for one month (time-bound), after which time I will reassess and make changes as needed (realistic).” It can seem like a pain in the moment, but if you like having a check off list this method can give you very clear options for your list, and because it is time bound you can always reassess and change it as needed if you aren’t feeling challenged or if you overshot. If you want more in depth training on how to make SMART goals a great resource is http://www.101-smart-goals.com/.

Focus on one at a time

The years that I have been most successful with achieving my resolutions, are the ones where I have chosen to work on one goal each month. I usually try to limit myself to 4-6 so I can cycle through them throughout the year and refresh any that I might have started slacking on.

Don’t go overboard- start with one

If the idea of making changes in your life overwhelms you, just remember that it is perfectly fine to pick one thing you want to work on in the next year and focus on that one thing. It isn’t wise to attempt to fix everything you see as a problem in one go, because you will likely get overwhelmed and give up on working towards the goals altogether. And besides, you will want something to work on next year.

Reward yourself

That’s right, bribe yourself. Most people need something to keep them going towards their goals and for most of us, simply achieving it doesn’t quite cut it. However, it is very important that any rewards don’t contradict what you are trying to achieve. For example, if your goal is to lose weight it would be counterproductive to reward yourself with a supersized Big Mac meal.

Don’t stress

Life changes are hard, and realistically it is unlikely that you will be perfect at sticking to your resolutions on the first go. DO NOT BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF! It’s perfectly acceptable, and very normal, to take several tries to make changes stick. So when you are tempted to get frustrated and throw the towel in, take a deep breath and consider giving it another go.

Keep it fun!

Contrary to popular belief, you can pick things you are excited about doing as resolutions AND it can actually help you be more successful. You can also make your other resolutions more fun by choosing things that interest you to achieve them. For example, if you love to travel and are trying to work on budgeting skills and saving money, make a resolution to go somewhere you’ve never been and save for it.

Accountability is key

Sometimes the best way to reach your goals is to have another person or group of people encouraging you along the way. Having someone who is working toward the same goal, or someone who is willing to admonish you if you are off track will be the most helpful.

No matter what you end up doing, try to enjoy the fresh start that the New Year brings and make the most of your life and the opportunities you are presented with. Happy New Year from all of us at Active Family Chiropractic, be safe and we will see you next year!