THE ANTI-RESOLUTION BLOG...
- wholebodywellnessa
- Dec 31, 2017
- 2 min read
A significant number of Americans struggle to maintain their New Year's resolutions, as indicated in recent studies. According to a 2023 article from Lead Read Today, only 9% of individuals who make such resolutions feel successful in achieving them by year's end. Additionally, a 2024 article from New Orleans City Business states that more than half abandon them within the first three months. Also, a 2023 survey from Numerator found that 74% are physically related goals, with 70% striving to lose weight. Given this information, why do we fall for this idea every year that January is the best time to set a goal and achieve it?
I don't buy into this belief and haven't for a few years since I became a Health Coach. I agree having goals and creating accountability, for myself and my clients, is an important step in making healthy positive changes. But I believe that we need to create an atmosphere where we can be successful. A resolution is a declarative statement that creates an all-or-nothing approach, setting us up for failure.
One better approach that has worked for me is the Priority List system-- take time on December 31st to give yourself some quiet time with your journal or a piece of paper to write down any areas of your life you want to focus on. Some years my list has been quite long, and I give myself a time frame to work on the goal. In other years, the goal is open-ended because it is an area I want to develop but don't quite have it all figured out. Either way can work and provides time and space to break down the goal into achievable steps.
When you have your list set, type it out in bold letters and put it in a place where you can see it to be reminded of your focus. Fast forward to the end of the year, and you can look back at your list and evaluate whether you achieved some or all of the goals you wanted to focus on. You can be proud of the space you created for learning and problem-solving and feel good that you didn't give up on yourself after a few days or weeks!!!
Don't be afraid to take some time today to focus on yourself. Find a piece of paper, or go to the store and buy yourself a journal.
Set some goals and if there is an area in which you haven't found success yet, ask for help. That is what a Health Coach does!
I am just a phone call or a click away. Go onto my website and schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discuss what areas you want to be successful in this New Year!
I hope you have a Happy and Safe New Year's Eve!
Comments