Experts who study resolutions indicate most of us give up by January 19th. We start out with great intentions. But then life throws a few curveballs in our direction and we find those intentions shattered. Whether you’ve already given up completely or you find yourself teetering on the edge, these simple strategies can help you restart your resolution, making moves toward permanent change.
Pick a One Week Goal
Many times, we bite off more than we can chew. Our overall goal is fantastic – we want to get into shape or pay off debt or eat more healthfully, but that goal is too vague and undefined. Or it may feel like we’ll never be able to achieve what we long for because it will take too long. The large habits in our lives are built on simple, smaller ones. So this week, choose a small, achievable goal you can accomplish and then celebrate. Maybe you’ll choose to skip restaurants this week to save money and extra calories. Or perhaps you’ll drink 8 glasses of water each day. Your goal just might be to log into your financial accounts daily. Think small and short term and then begin.
Before I Log On, I Will
Each morning, I pour myself a delicious hot cup of coffee and then I open my laptop. This little ritual provides perspective and usually joy as I begin my day. Typically I read through a few news websites and then I click over to my social media channels to see what the world has been up to since I went to bed. This week, I encouraged a group of participants at my Johnson County Public Library speaking engagement (via Zoom) to choose to log into the bank account before any other website each day. Since I suggested it, I decided I’d better take my own advice.
Instead of falling down the rabbit hole of emails and endless feeds, I’ve been checking the account and reconciling it before I do anything else. It’s made a huge difference. Maybe you’ll drink a bottle of water before you log on or read or pray or workout. Choose one intentional practice you will pursue to aid your resolution before opening any other apps or logging on to a site.
Find Someone to Share the Journey
In my own personal experience, when I have someone else on a same or similar journey, I’m more likely to succeed. To stick with what you’ve begun, it’s time to reach out to others to encourage you along. I mentioned earlier this year that I’ve caught the Peloton bug (even though I don’t own a Peloton). One of the best ways for me to stick with my goals has been to join a number of groups on Facebook of individuals who are also on the platform. When they post their workouts, it encourages me to keep moving. It doesn’t even matter if you know the individuals in real life (although that is powerful, too). Finding someone who’s on the same path is a game changer.
Create an “I Love” List
Let’s face it. Healthier choices sometimes feel like drudgery. So rather than focusing on what you can’t do right now, turn your eyes upon what you can do. Even better, begin listing the things you love when it comes to your specific goals. Maybe it’s a favorite water bottle to drink water from or perhaps a meal you enjoy when you make it at home. Perhaps it’s a favorite TV show or book you’ve been meaning to watch or read. Creating an “I Love” List as it relates to your goals will help refocus on your eyes on what really matters.
Choose an End Game Reward
In the final months of paying off debt, we decided what we would do to celebrate kicking $127,482.30 in the teeth. We chose a beach vacation as a “crossing the finish line” moment (after we saved enough cash to pay for it, of course). In those days and weeks leading up to the moment, I did everything I could do to figure out where we would go, where we would stay, where we would eat, and what we would do while there. Sometimes when a goal feels tedious and difficult, we need to shift our gaze toward something a little bit more fun. Dreaming about what the end result of your resolution will look like can help motivate you to stay on track in the here and now.
As a side note, you may discover that what you once thought you longed for as a reward falls away in lieu of another goal or reward. That’s ok, too.
Don’t give up, friends. There’s still hope for the changes you long to make in your life. Readjust your sails and make choices to help you. Your cause is not lost, nor is your journey over.
Our new book Your Money, Your Marriage is now available! Be sure to check out videos on managing money together on Facebook.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional
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