As 2018 comes to a close, I’ve got my sights set on big things for 2019 – how about you?? The start of a new year is the perfect time to evaluate how things went for you during the previous year – things you enjoyed, challenges you faced, goals you had set. It’s an opportunity to see what worked last year, what didn’t, and what you can adjust to find more success in the future. That is why we set resolutions after all.
Setting goals and resolutions is a great way to help yourself grow and develop, but sometimes our goals around health and wellness can be a bit self-sabotaging. Have you ever made a resolution to lose x amount of weight, go to the gym every day, or start a new diet, only for February to roll around and you’re sitting in self defeat?
The issue isn’t you or your willpower, it’s the resolution. Promise. So to avoid that feeling in the new year, here are 10 things I recommend keeping in mind when setting your wellness-related resolutions for 2019:
1. Remember that January 1st is just another day.
When the clock strikes midnight on January 1st, the world doesn’t just suddenly hit a reset and the time to make all of the changes you’ve been meaning to make is now. It’s honestly just another day. Sometimes taking the pressure off of yourself to make every single change at once can set you up for better success in the long run. The new year is a great chance to start fresh, but easing into new lifestyles or taking steps towards big goals can happen a little at a time. Your resolutions don’t have to be drastic.
2. Focus on intention, not perfection.
When setting resolutions for the new year, it can be helpful to reframe them as intentions, rather than something you must stick to completely. The “all or nothing” mentality can make you feel as if you’ve fallen off the wagon should you miss one workout or enjoy a pizza night with friends – this in turn may convince you to scrap your resolution entirely and swing in the complete opposite direction. When we set intentions, we give ourselves grace, knowing that we won’t be “perfect” and things won’t always go to plan, but that we can start working towards what we want again the next day – minus any guilt.
3. Focus on whole-person health, rather than just what you eat and how you move.
Most of my clients set intentions around nutrition and physical activity, which are important aspects of health and wellness, but they aren’t the only components. Sleep, stress management, and relationships can all impact your physical and mental health, so be sure to take those into account when setting your resolutions, as neglecting one of those areas can impact you too.
4. Deprivation doesn’t work.
All of the fad diets floating around this time of year promote cutting out foods, limiting quantities, and basically sucking the fun out of everything… we tend to approach our resolutions with the same mindset of deprivation, punishment, and restriction. Interestingly enough, this may be at the core of what keeps resolutions from sticking and becoming a lifestyle. As a species, we are wired to want things that bring us pleasure (aka a lot of things that diets cut out), and cutting out food groups will only make us crave them more. By giving yourself unconditional permission to enjoy all foods and finding movement you enjoy on a regular basis, you’re more likely to be able to tune into your body’s needs and take care of it in a more positive way. Turning to a diet or exercise routine that you won’t be able to maintain long-term, sets you up for feeling shame and blaming yourself for its inevitable failure. Instead, look to nourish and move your body in a way that feels good to you – not based upon external rules someone has told you in order to sell you a product or idea.
5. Ask yourself: “Does this align with my values?”
One of the first things I recommend doing when setting resolutions/intentions is asking yourself this question. You’re more likely to have success if your goals align with your values. Why? You’re more likely to invest in something that you truly value and see as an important part of your life. For example, I value my health, mood, and supporting my body to function at its best. Therefore, one of my resolutions this year is to participate in strength training activities at least 2 days per week, since I know it will help with my muscle and bone strength, as well as help reduce stress.
6. Connect with your “Why”.
This piece also has to do with values. Connecting with your “why” makes your resolutions more meaningful and helps you stay connected to them throughout the year. Using the example above, my “why” for strength training is to improve my functional strength because I want to be able to be physically active and get on the floor with my grandkids when I’m 80. I know being physically active makes me happy, and can also make future-Sam happy too!
7. Lofty goals are great, but it’s the smaller ones that help you get there.
I’m ALL for setting big goals! It’s how you push yourself to constantly improve and achieve what you never thought possible. However, big accomplishments don’t just happen overnight. It’s important to break your larger goals in to smaller, more actionable steps so that you can set yourself up for success. Big goals can be overwhelming, so breaking them into smaller, realistic, and manageable pieces can make the process less daunting and keep you on track.
8. Set yourself up to succeed.
There are certain things that must be in place to accomplish your goals, so do your best to cultivate an environment that will help you be successful. If you want to read more, designate time each day to do so. If you want to eat out less, set aside the time, grocery shop, and meal prep your own lunches for work. Think about the settings and circumstances that need to be in place for your goal to happen, and make sure you take care of those first.
9. Check in with yourself.
Assess your goals regularly to determine if you’re making progress. When setting goals, make sure that they are time-bound so that you can hold yourself accountable. Saying you want to exercise more doesn’t have that accountability piece; whereas, setting the goal that you want to exercise three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays allows you to check in at the end of the week to see what worked and what didn’t.
10. Modify your resolutions (or means of getting there), if necessary.
Modifying your resolutions may be something that comes after you’ve checked in with yourself. If you set the goal of working out three times per week for an hour each time and you only made it to the gym once for a half hour, take a look at what can be adjusted. Would it make more sense to divide your workouts into shorter bursts? Are you only able to work out at certain times? Is working out at home more feasible than going to the gym? It’s ok to adjust your goals as needed to make them more manageable, and you may also need to adjust your means if they’ve become a barrier.
My intentions for the year are to:
- Spend more time outside
- Strength train at least 2x per week
- Read 1 new book per month
- Learn to cook something new in the kitchen
What are your resolutions/intentions for 2019? I’d love to hear in the comments below or drop me a line here.
Wishing you a safe, happy, and healthy New Year!
Mindfully yours,
Sam
