Every single year we make resolutions that we expect to uphold, cold turkey, starting January 1st. Why're we surprised then when we are back to our old habits by February (or even the second week of January)? In order to build the good habits we want to maintain during the new year, we shouldn't stop what we do now, cold turkey. We should start putting the new behaviors we want to practice in advance so that we don't disappoint ourselves when we can't uphold them for very long into the new year.
1. Make Your Bed Every Morning
Admiral William McRaven says, "If you want to change the world, start by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another."
2. Track Your Feels
Create a grid in a planner, on your desk, or make a notes page on your phone and fill in how you felt that day. It doesn't have to be a diary entry, just one word or a color coordinated to an emotion. This way you can keep track of good months or bad months and think of what habits you had during that time. That will help you change or maintain behaviors going forward.
3. Drink Water
You don't have to drink eight glasses of water everyday, that's a very hard goal to achieve on a busy schedule. But your body doesn't need to be neglected either, so try to drink half your body weight in ounces.
4. Compliment Yourself Once A Day
Be nice to yourself, seriously. Think of one thing that you like about yourself each day and tell that to yourself. Literally tell yourself that out loud.
5. Use That Planner At The Bottom Of Your Drawer
Schedule your life! Can't forget that test if you write down what date it is and use your planner everyday. If you actively use it everyday as you're supposed to, you'll see stuff on your agenda all the time. Can't forget it then!
6. Make A Budget And Stick To It
Ever notice that you start running out of money whenever it gets close to your next paycheck? And then you panic because you really want to go to Starkville Cafe with your buds, but your bank account looks sad. Yea, make a budget and stick to it and you won't have that problem...nearly as often.
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