New Year's Resolutions get a bad rap, but I still hold out hope that they can have a real impact. I've found it's far too easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of it all and pledge to lost 30 pounds by March, only to dread the gym by mid-January. This happens because, let's be real, losing 30 pounds in two months is incredibly unrealistic. If you miss a day in the gym, your goal seems even more unattainable and you begin to lose hope. So here are some goals we can all realistically shoot for in 2016 to become the happy and healthy people we are all meant to become!
Instead of "Work out every day..."
Work out at least three times per week. If you haven't seen the inside of a gym in months, pushing yourself in head first is going to be just plain painful. Give your body some days of rest during the first few weeks of workouts and build up, adding an extra day when your body is ready. Getting in shape doesn't happen over night, and going slow and steady will benefit your body so much more than killing it for two weeks and giving up because of an overwhelming goal.
Instead of "Make all A's this semester..."
Dedicate an hour or so per day to studying and staying on top of homework. This gives you a daily goal rather than one giant goal which won't be reached until months later, which in turn adds so much more motivation to get in the library and crack open those books. Working a little every day will also knock out those weekend-long cram sessions due to weeks of procrastination. Studies have even shown this is the best way to retain information, which could easily lead to making all A's!
Instead of "Stop smoking..."
Find a program and support system that works for you. Lifestyle changes like this almost never work with the cold-turkey approach, and cutting down the amount of cigarettes per day is the first step in reaching this large goal. Stick with lessening the amount you smoke, and don't beat yourself up if you cheat a little bit on a bad day. Stay positive and remember why you're quitting in the first place!
Instead of "Save more money..."
Set a specific amount of money to save each week and keep a goal in mind. It may only be feasible to save $10 per week, but $10 really adds up! Decorate your "tattoo money" jar, your "Bonnaroo money" jar, or a "Road Trip money" jar, and if you get a little extra birthday money? Add it to the jar! It'll all be more than worth the small sacrifice when you finally meet your goal, then you can start saving up again for the next fun adventure.
If you forget all else, simply remember to make your resolutions SMART. Instead of vague and overwhelming goals, make them Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. A small change can make a huge difference. Let's all head into the new year motivated to make every day changes, because this is how real differences are made!
