10 Alternatives to setting New Year's Resolutions
First, let me say.... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Now that I've appropriately wished you a Happy New Year, let's talk resolutions. At my annual New Year's brunch with my girls. (Side moment to say YAAAY for unlimited Mimosas) OK, back to the post. At brunch I asked peopel to list their resoltuions, the answered varied from I have 8 to I don't do resolutions to just I set goals.
SO I thought himmm, what are some alternatives to creating New Year Resolutions. Here you go
1. Vision Board
Instead of writing down specific resolutions, Lose 20 pounds, get a new job, with a Vision Board you create a design of everything you want in life over the next year. Vision Boards are great because they can be done on paper, via a pic collage that you post on social media, I even know people who put them as the screen saver on their phone. This works off of the law of attraction principle. Many people believe the more you visualize yourself achieving the more you will achieve. The key to vis is don't just create it and leave it in a corner somewhere. You are supposed to look at it every day and visualize your achievements. I created one for the first time this year. Key words that stand out on my Vision Board - Fitness, Financial Freedom, and the phrase You are a girl who can do anything.
2. Gratitude Jar
Sometimes all we need is to focus on being thankful for what we do have instead of keying in on what we feel is absent from our life A great way to do this is with a gratitude jar. You can get all sorts of mason jars from Target, the dollar store or go online. The idea is to get the jar at the beginning of the year, and every few days write a note about something you're grateful for and place it in the jar. Then a year from now on New Year's Eve open the jar and read everything you were grateful for throughout the year. Then repeat.
3. Goal Setting
OK, similar to resolutions but a lot more concrete. After I told someone about my Vison Board, they said OK, but what's your 5 year plan, your 2 year plan? ummm.. Add to board, 5 year plan. LOL No seriously setting goals is important and breaking down those goals into realistic actions means you're more likely to achieve them.
4. New Year New You? or just a New Week
I read a wonderful quote that said, "You don't need a New Year to start over, all you need is a Monday." This is true. Monday's are just another week to do better, be better. Instead of tackling major year long resolutions, break it up. What do you want to do this week? Then do it! This way you are celebrating 52 accomplishments!!
5. Start a New Habit
Scientist say it takes 21 days or 3 weeks to form a habit. We are our habits so how about committing to creating one new habit instead of listing out 10 new resolution. Like a good for you habit, not a nose candy variety habit. For example. I want to do yoga every day, so I would commitment to 15 minutes of yoga every day for at least 21 days. Then I've formed a habit. How much easier would it be to reach your goal if you focus on creating new positive habits
6. Don't set New Resolutions
OK, so who says we have to meet all goals in one finite period. Some things take longer than others. I have a friend who is working on being a partner in a law firm, that will take more than a year! That's fine. Building up your savings to a buy a house, might take more than a year. It's OK to say no new resolutions I'm still building on last year.
7. There's an app for that!
No, seriously it's 2016 and you must know there is an app SOMEWHERE for everything. There are lots of apps that help us specifically track new year's resolutions, there are goal setting apps and fitness app. So, why write down a resolution list, how about picking 3 apps that will help like Lark, a fitness app with a mix of real life and artificial coaches to provide you with feedback, or Wunderlist, to make a list of resolutions or goals and get automatic reminders. Last year I wrote about some great apps to help with your resolutions, check that list out for more ideas.
8. Make a commitment to help others.
So, who says resolutions have to be all about you. How about you set a goal to help someone else. After all giving benefits the giver. Remember giving isn't all about money, you can volunteer your time.
9. Write a letter from your future self.
Whoa! That's so timey, wimey, time travel like. (Shout out to my Whovians - inside joke) Don't panic you don't have to find a Tardis -- umm Time Machine. You just need to write a letter dated, January 1, 2017 to the 2016 version of you. I suggest sending yourself an email so you don't lose track of the letter. Write about all of your achievements in 2016. This is another visualization exercise similar to the vision board. Essentially you are stating in advance your achievements and getting it all on paper or on email in this case.
10. Write what you are looking forward to in the year ahead.
Sometimes we don't have set resolutions, we just want to be happy! When we have things and events to look forward to we get excited. So write down what you are looking forward to in 2016, it can be a new conference, a t.V. show, a movie, hello Star Trek Beyond, and Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. It could be an eventful birthday or a friend's party. Emotionally getting excited for good things makes us feel good.
So, that's my list of 10 alternatives to making New Year's Resolutions. Do you have anymore. If so, scroll down and let me know in the comments section.
