How to Stick to that Good Ol’ New Year’s Resolution…
It may be called a New Year’s resolution but there really is no bad time to start changing your habits for the better, and if the new year serves as a motivation for you this is (clearly) a great time to wrangle in that determination, harness it, and plan for a successful year.
Ideally, you want to set goals and make resolutions you can stick with all year around. As many people do not make this kind of commitment (despite their best intentions), there tends to be a lot of exercise equipment being listed on Craigslist come summer time. Set goals that are achievable, reasonable, and can be a priority in your life.
Where to Start Your Resolve
Take pen to paper and really think about what you’d like to change. Write it all down no matter how silly or dumb it may sound. Your list is just for you so there is no wrong way to brainstorm.
Next, take a look at what you have written and start thinking about which ideas mean more to you. Since losing weight is one of the most popular resolutions to make, we’ll use it as an example. Put ‘weight loss’ at the top of a new list then write down all the things you think you need to do to reach that goal. By breaking down the different components of your goal, you can see how achievable it really it.
Let’s say your secondary goal is being more financially stable. Make your list of how-to’s. You’ll then need to look at your daily life schedule and figure out how to incorporate small changes in your already established routines. For instance, just like you’d need to add exercise a few days a week do the same with your fianances by setting aside a time to pay bills and review what you’ve spent and if you’re sticking to your Wants and Needs list.
Now that your resolutions are no longer so overwhelming, you’ll be more likely to stick with them!
What goals and resolutions have you set for this year, and how are they going so far?
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I also like to write down what obstacles might make my goal challenging so I can come up with a workaround or a plan b to still achieve my goal.
Oh! That’s a really good idea!
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This year my goals are more modest than in the past since I’ve done a great job at reaching financial independence by 30. My main resolution for this year is to repay a fifth of my mortgage through lump sum payments.
I’ve gone the route of writing down a lot of smaller goals. I know I probably won’t get all 13 of them, but if I can get close to half then I’ll be happy! They’re things like being able to do a specific yoga pose (that I’m close to but just need to practice more!), learning to make more “fancy” cocktails at home, and buying quality over quantity! Looking forward to a great new year!
Although resolutions can be very personal, I find it helpful to share them with a good friend, partner or family member, both for support and accountability. For example, I started my spending fast on January 1st, and to keep me honest, I’ll be reporting my progress on a monthly basis to a loved one. I have yet to see if it will work, but I think having someone supportive will help keep me honest and on track, and give me a shoulder to whine on when it gets tough.
I don’t really make resolutions because I make goals all year long for myself. I’m so happy that I came upon your blog. I recently graduated from nursing school and have a hefty amount of money to pay back in student loans. My daughter is going to college in the Fall and I will need to help her with some of the costs. My husband and I would love to get out of debt and live debt free but now is not the time so we will be making small changes that will help us to pay down some bills here and there. After reading your blog and how you were able to pay off debt we have decided to do a Spend Fast in February to pay down all our bills that are past due so that we can become current. We will be trying to do additional months throughout the year but we need to see if there is any important spending that will need to be made in each month. Thanks for the inspiration! BTW, I have told my daughter about your blog so that she can read it and learn about how to properly spend and save.
These are some great ideas! I really love the idea of breaking down your main goal into different components, really makes it seem much more manageable! Thanks for sharing these tips! So glad I stumbled across your blog, I look forward to ready more from you!
I’m glad you stumbled upon it too! Let me know if any questions come up about anything :)
Thanks for sharing! I agree that it is a great idea to break down your goals into obtainable chunks so you don’t become overwhelmed when you look at the overall goal and what you hope to achieve. Many blessings to you in the New Year!