It’s almost a new year, and now is a good time to consider the power of resolutions. Most people either love or hate the idea of “New Year, New Me!” but the reality is that regardless if a new year is on the horizon or not, we are presented with the opportunity to change. We are presented with the chance to resolve to do better. And then, actually do better.
What is a Resolution?
The definition of a resolution is a firm decision to do or not to do something. When I first googled the definition, I forgot that you can resolve to do AND not do something. The “not doing” part really struck me. Most of the time we say we’ll go to the gym more, see our family more, go to church more, etc. But there is really something powerful about not doing something, and the power of saying no.
Maybe this year you’ll decide to stop letting other people have such a big say in your life and your work. Or you’ll stop saying yes to social events you don’t want to go to. Or you’ll stop making excuses and go after the life you want.
Perhaps we can all resolve to stop putting off the things that really matter to us. New Year’s Resolutions, or resolutions at any time of year, can be hard to follow through on.
There’s something about a shiny new year that makes us want to change. We see it as a collective start date. Wanting to change is the first step to actually doing it. It’s great you know what you want, most people (me included) struggle to define what we really want.
But, the wanting part is where a lot of us get stuck. We want to do all of these great hobbies and change our habits in the new year. However, wanting and executing are different things.
After you define what it is you resolve to do, you need to ask yourself WHY you want to do that thing. Knowing why will help you follow through on every small task along the way to change. If you know why you are doing or not doing something, and that reason matters to you, you’ll be more convicted to keep at it.
After you figure out what you want and why you want it, it’s time to make a plan of how you’ll do it.
If you wanted to go to a destination you’ve never been before, you would probably put it into Google Maps. Then, you’d have a perfect play-by-play of how you’ll get to this new destination.
The same goes for achieving a new goal. If it seems too big or abstract to reach, you should map out how you’ll get there. Then, when you’re presented with a new opportunity, you can reference your “map” and decide if it’s pointing you in the direction of your destination, or if it’s taking you off track.
There’s a lot more to resolutions than we often realize, but the concept, to decide to change and to allow growth, is pretty awesome. By making a game plan of how you’ll enact these changes or pursue that growth, you can feel more equipped to tackle your New Year’s Resolutions.
It may seem hard to get from where you are now to where you want to really be. The reason most of us don’t make our resolutions happen is because we failed to plan how we would do it. For every resolution you have, make a plan of how you’ll achieve it. Then you’ll have your what, why and how. And that’s a great start to making an actionable resolution.
For help with SMART goal setting, download Taylor’s guide, or schedule a free life coaching consultation with him.
About the Author: Hannah O’Brien is an avid content creator. She is passionate about writing and personal growth. She graduated with a BA in Communication Studies and now is a full-time marketing strategist and content writer.
Hannah’s Instagram: @hannahobrn
