Making a New Year’s Resolution for 2021
Winter is coming and as December rolls on families face new stresses this Covid-19 crazy year. December is the gift giving season and as families race to make it special for their loved ones, this holiday season will be different for all due to Covid-19.
2020 has done a number on us not only mentally but physically and financially. While some families may not be working and have the financial means to meet their family’s holiday wish list this season, others may be working remotely and struggling to learn new ways while trying to be their best at their jobs. Often times, these families have children at home doing their own remote learning and everyone is trying to make it all work.
For some the holiday season on its own is stressful but in 2020 it’s even more stressful. One way to help manage this stress is to start your New Year’s resolutions now. Each individual person has the capacity to make drastic changes in their life. This statement is extremely relevant especially in 2020. Now is the time to make healthy lifestyle changes.
Typically as December begins to close, we reflect on the year and start to think about our goals and what we want to accomplish in the new year. But what if, we started at the beginning of December instead of January? What if we started to view December 1st as our “fresh start” instead of January 1st?
For example, say you want to start creating a new morning routine: working out, meditating, reading, walking the dog, having a family breakfast, and/or anything else that sparks joy in your life. Now imagine you wait until January to start implementing these changes, do you think that it will be a solid smooth transition or will bumps in the road occur as you try to adjust? Most people will experience those roadblocks, now imagine you started in December instead of January. By starting early, you will not only give yourself a jump start on your goals but you will also give yourself a safe space to make mistakes and adjust to the changes you are making before the slate gets wiped clean. The important thing is that you dedicate yourself to making these changes as soon as possible, no need to wait until the new year. Below are four steps to help get you started on your resolutions.
The first step is to identify your why. By this, I mean to identify why you want to do what you want to do. For example, maybe you want to start waking up an hour earlier so you have extra time for self-care before the rest of the family gets up or maybe you want to set aside an hour a day to put down your work and play a game with your family. Whatever it is that you desire to achieve, by applying and identifying your why you give yourself that extra boost of motivation. Whenever you feel unmotivated to wake up earlier, put down your work, or set aside that extra time just look back to your why and you will be constantly reminded of the desired favorable outcome.
The second step is to plan out the steps you need in order to accomplish your goals. Back to our example of a different morning routine, if you desire to wake up an hour earlier each day you will have to get to bed an hour earlier, set an earlier alarm, and maybe even put the children in bed earlier. By creating this checklist of sub-points it will allow you to reach your main goal point more effortlessly. This list will be a constant guide showing you exactly how you can achieve this new goal.
The third step is to put it into action. Do not wait till tomorrow, do not wait till Monday, do not wait until January; start now—“there is no time like the present!”
The last step is to remain consistent. This is probably the most difficult step of all since it requires the most stamina. In order to remain consistent, it is important to follow that checklist. Back to our example, if you don’t get that extra hour of sleep at night you may not have the energy to wake up at your desired time. This tiny mistake can throw off your entire day and or goal. So by sticking to your checklist of smaller goals and being consistent with them, you can reach your bigger broader new years resolution goal!
Let’s dedicate the rest of the month of December to creating your list of goals, discovering your whys, establishing your checklists, getting started, and remaining consistent. There is no need to wait to January 1st, when we have the present moment!
