Well, 2020 is behind us. The transition into the year 2021 will not be a flip of a switch back to normal, but it can act as a mental closure to the experiences of 2020. We have been through so much this past year. Now, we can look forward to better times. I can not predict what is in store for us, but I know it is time for a new beginning. Just as winter is a time to wipe the slate clean for new growth in the spring. Refresh. Reimagine. Renew.

Do you make New Year resolutions? In a survey done in 2019, only 7% of the participants stuck to their New Year resolutions, 19% kept some, but not all, 8% failed to keep any resolutions, and 57% chose not to make any. Resolutions are personal goals you set for yourself to grow. 

Every business owner knows the importance of yearly planning. Entrepreneurs envision how their business will grow over the next year. They set goals and take action towards their goals. However, many don’t see the value in making personal resolutions. Why? I bet if you asked the 57% of the survey participants why they didn’t make New Year resolutions, I bet it’s mostly because, in the past, they failed at reaching the goals they set for themselves. So why make any at all.

Most people don’t reach their goals because they are unrealistic. They find it’s challenging to change their behaviors to support their goals. If you want to get up at 4:00 am to work out every day for the next year, but you are a night owl by nature. Is a 4:00 am workout wake-up call a realistic goal for you? Can you sustain that over the next year? Probably not. Maybe a more realistic goal is to carve out some time at lunch to work out instead. Changing behaviors can be hard. So, be mindful and get to know yourself to make change relevant to you.

Once you make individualized realistic goals, the next step is consistency and sustainable change. 

The best way to be consistent and create sustainable change is to transform your new behavior into a habit. If you have a goal to lose 30 lbs  so you can be more active with your kids, that’s fantastic! However, the only way to get there is consistency. Doing the new behavior over and over again. I say with confidence; you don’t want those pounds to return? Be done with those 30 lbs for good! 

Behaviors that become habits are automatic, and they silently rule our lives. 43% of our daily behaviors are controlled through habits. They are on default and don’t rise to a level of conscious experience. Like driving a car. The habit of turning on your blinker allows you to turn left safely while having a conversation without thinking. Make good habits and let your subconscious take over. Here are some tips on setting goals and supportive ways to change behaviors into habits:

• Small steps lead to significant change.
• Set Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-based goals.
• Create an action plan
• Prepare for obstacles and setbacks.
• Change your environment
• Take decisions out of everyday task
• Celebrate every accomplishment, big or small, like a wild person.
• Find an accountability partner
• Get a health and wellness coach