Yep, it's that time of year again. We all come up with goals that end up collecting dust in a corner of a room. With the fireworks and excitement over the countdown, you may really have felt like you were going to complete your New Year's resolutions this year, but chances are, it'll be a repeat of the year before. However, there are ways to avoid that from happening.
The first thing to do is to write down each and every resolution. No, not in the notes app of your phone. Grab a sheet of notebook paper and a colorful pen to write down everything. Use as much detail as possible. Some questions to consider are: how long will the goal take to complete? Do you plan to complete it alone or with friends? What will you need in order to accomplish it? Writing down your resolutions will make you much more likely to do it. Also, if you place the list on your desk, you'll be reminded.
Choose the easiest resolution on your list and go ahead and knock it out. This way, you'll quickly have a sense of completion that will drive you to continue pushing your goals. If you choose a long-term goal, it will be easy to lose hope and all sense of motivation. Sometimes, it's best to just start small and take baby steps.
Another way to stay on top of your New Year's resolutions is to start journaling. Buy a cute, little journal with blank pages so you can fill them up with your journey. Write about your accomplishments and hard times with your resolutions. Journaling will keep you focused on your goals. It will also enable you to look back on your previous writings and see how far you've come.
All in all, completing everything on your list will be difficult. Remember that it is okay if you don't manage to check off everything. At the end of the day, progress counts more than anything. Have fun with it and don't put an overwhelming amount of pressure on yourself.