Refining Common New Year's Resolutions
Ah yes: new year, new you.
There’s no shame in that, we’re all basic here.
But as much as we’d all like to believe that we are of the small percentage that stick to their new year's resolutions this year, let’s all take a moment to admit that we said that last year. And the year before.
Wait! Before you click away because you think I’m personally attacking you, I’M WITH YOU.
We all want to do better this year.
And we will.
Because this year, we aren’t just going to say we are going to do things. We are going to do them, and it’s all because we are going to do them differently.
Here’s the deal: we are going to replace those flimsy, generic new years resolutions with some rock solid, achievable goals.
Not sure about how to do that and still make it simple? I’ve rounded up some super common new years resolutions and written some alternative examples to help.
A few things to remember when you set your New Years Resolutions this year:
Before we jump into them, it’s important to keep a few things in your mind as you tailor your new year’s resolutions to fit your personal goals. No resolution is a one-size-fits-all because we are are going to have to do different things to get the same desired results.
Be specific. What is the exact action you are going to do to achieve this goal? This can be big changes or small habits that lead to big results.
Be realistic. If you set some crazy goal that you’re just not likely to achieve, you’re just going to leave this year feeling disappointed in yourself. Don’t set yourself up for failure and respect your limitations.
But don’t let yourself off the hook. You can respect your limitations without going too easy on yourself. You are allowed to (and you should) dream big and reach high. You need to challenge yourself. If you want to grow, you’re going to have to allow yourself space by broadening your comfort zone. It’s all about finding that balance.
Give yourself a time frame. I didn’t add time frames to all of these examples because it’s going to be very personal to you and your current habits and starting point. But try not to set too many goals that allow for the full year. If you allow yourself too much time, you’ll be more likely to slack off and procrastinate. A better option is set quarterly goals - over a 90 day period. Again, be realistic while still challenging yourself.
Examples of Refined Common New Year’s Resolutions
Eat healthier.
Eat more plants! Focus on abundance and diversity. I will eat 3+ servings of fruits and 3+ servings of vegetables every single day.
Every Sunday, I will food prep healthy meals for the following week along with planning healthy dinners for the week.
I will read 10 reputable books about health and nutrition in the next 6 months.
Lose weight.
I will work out for an hour, 3 days a week.
I'm going to do a high intensity workout every single day for 20-30 minutes.
I will track my meals, calories, and nutrients every day for a month to gain a better understanding of my eating habits. (You can use an app like MyFitnessPal for free)
Save Money
This weekend I am going to create a budget for the next 3 months. Every day or every week I will log my spending.
Develop more mindful buying habits. Before every purchase I will carefully consider whether I really need it and if I will be happy, better off, or just as good without it.
Today or this weekend I will setup a savings account. Every paycheck I will put a set amount into the savings account.
Be more productive
Every quarter of the year, I will write down my goals for that quarter. I will break each goal down and schedule time spent towards that goal for the quarter.
Every day or every week, I will time-block based on my priorities and goals.
Every day or every week, I will have a “power hour” which is one hour of knocking simple to-do’s off my list.
Be more sustainable
Every time I go to get a coffee, I will bring my own reusable mug.
I will no longer buy or use plastic water bottles. I will bring my own reusable water bottle.
Every month I will make one sustainable swap.
Keep my house clean
At the end of every task or every day, I will put my things away.
Every time I do laundry, I will immediately fold it and put it away.
Every week I will do a deeper clean of the most used rooms in my home. Vacuum, wipe down, dust, etc. (set your own common tasks for each room and write them down for reference)
Bonus: find some more tips on keeping you house clean with this post on setting non-negotiables to keep your home in order.
As you can see, some of these are big changes while others are much smaller. It’s important not to overlook those small goals! Often it’s the small habits that yield the biggest results and are also more sustainable in the long run. Make sure you have a good mix of bigger and smaller goals on your resolutions this year.
What are your new year’s resolutions this year? How are you adjusting them this year to make them more attainable? Let me know in a comment below, shoot me an email, or find me on Instagram @brittney_kiera_. I’d genuinely love to hear from you <3
Action steps
In the next 15 minutes - Take a few minutes to write down your new year’s resolutions. Remember to make big and small ones, and make them specific and achievable. It might help to break them down and set them by quarter instead of giving yourself the entire year for one big goal. Keep it somewhere you will see it every day.
In the next week - Schedule time over the next few months towards your goals. Write them in a planner or put them in your phone calendar. Start this week.
Work on consistently - Show up for yourself this year. Respect your time in the same way you would respect someone else’s: when you say you’re going to do something or be somewhere, do it.