For millions of people, every New Years celebration seems to be the exact same. You spend all of December carefully choosing between giving up soft-drinks and cursing or losing an unrealistic amount of weight. This year can and should be different. You have fought your whole life to be the very best version of you. You have everything you need to succeed in your own mind.
The first key to kicking that New Years resolution is keeping it measurable. If you want to lose weight, don't make "lose 50 lbs." your goal. If you want want to eat healthier during 2016, limit yourself to three fast-food meals per week and decrease that amount as time goes on. If your goal is measurable and realistic, you'll be able to tackle it in no time.
Stay motivated. You can do this! It takes about 21 days to create a habit. Life-changes take time. Always remember that you won't magically wake up looking like Beyonce. Maybe, just maybe, over time, you could pull off a Michelle, or maybe even Kelly. Totally kidding! If you stay motivated and make small reminders in your planner or calendar, you'll be ripping up that resolution.
Know your self-worth. You are 100% worth whatever change it is that needs to be made. If you're anything like the wonderful people in my life, you probably spend too much time worrying about others. Focus on yourself. Give yourself this year to create a brand new you. There's no better time than now, but you need to remember that you are so worth it. You have all the potential in the world to be exactly who and what you want. You can create the life you desire if you only recognize that you are enough.
It's OK to make a mistake. If you slip up and go against your resolution, don't panic. That doesn't mean give up. It just means you should refocus yourself. Revisit why you chose to make a resolution. What are you looking to change and what needs to be different in your life? Once you get back on track, it'll be like you never took a detour.
Seek support. It is SO okay to share your resolutions with those who matter most to you. Heck, me and my best friend make dream boards each year and share them with one another. We cut, draw, copy and paste pictures, quotes, images, drawings and more onto the board. Each image represents something we wish to lose, gain or accomplish in the new year. It serves as a reminder that our friends and families are allowed to support us. If your roommates know that you struggle with ordering Chinese takeout after 10 p.m., then they will be able to talk you out of it when the struggle gets real.
I've always thought that for every tangible resolution, you should also choose an intangible, personal resolution, too. Mine have included being more positive, working on self-confidence, complaining less and building others up. Not only is it important to rid your life of destructive or draining items and people, it's also important to fill your lives with uplifting actions and people, also. Find a new hobby that makes you smile every day. Seek out a new friend who likes hobbies that you do. Pledge to yourself that you will show yourself more love in 2016 than you ever have before because you are worth it.
If you've learned anything from this article, I hope that you remember that we all deserve to become better this year. Every single one of us deserves to accomplish a goal that they have been dreaming of. 2016 is your year to do it. Yes, you! It's your year to shine, and I sincerely wish you all the best during this new chapter in your life.
