We can all be better. Do better. Act better. Work better. Feel better. Eat better. Think better. Live better.
Along with the arrival of the New Year and its accompanying celebration come the hallmark intentions to do better.
Stop smoking. Quit drinking. Avoid trouble. Cut out carbs and sugar. Be more organized. Get in shape. Have dinner with your family at least twice a week. Work harder. Be kinder. Help an elder.
The list can go on and on. It can touch any and every aspect of life. It can be universal or highly personal in nature.
But whether your intentions to make a change in the New Year are philanthropic or slightly selfish, there all require the same thing. Resolve.
Resolve is defined as having a firm course of action; to settle or find a solution to a problem, dispute, or contentious matter; strong determination to do something.
It occurs to us that the overwhelming propensity to fall short of fulfilling New Year’s resolutions is not because people fail to complete the actual resolution but because they do not have the resolve to complete their chosen task to begin with.
In thinking about it, it seems that resolve, the vital ingredient for people to hold true to promises they make for a better year ahead it that which is most often lacking.
The common sense approach to solving the recurring dilemma of falling short of New Year’s resolutions world seem to be in focusing on just one resolution—strengthen your resolve.
There are three basic obstacles that we all face when promising ourselves or others that we are going to do something :
– Lack of desire. You may want something, but you don’t want to deal with the discomforts and inconvenience of getting it.
– Lack of honesty. You’re desires for a certain accomplishment are not real. You are no accepting the responsibility to make a certain thing happen.
– Lack of information. You don’t have the practical information or skills to overcome obstacles and be consistent in the follow through. You are ill prepared.
We’d like to offer you 12 tips to strengthen and maintain resolve. Add this to your skill set and your knocking on the door of success in all you do.
- Do your research.
Know exactly what’s involved in making a change happen. Look at every aspect. Get yourself completely informed.
- Make an honest decision.Armed with the knowledge from your research, make an informed and honest choice. Are you willing to do the work involved in making this thing happen? Will the outcome be worth the effort?
- Reduce your overwhelm.Break your goal down into simple steps.
- Make a public promise.When you go public with your intentions, it strengthens your resolve instantly. Put those soial media skills to work.
- Create a system of accountability. Report your actions, successes and failures, every day. Tell a friend, use social media or find another route of reporting.
- Expect difficulties.Think in advance of possible problems and plan potential solutions.
- Use positive self-talk.Give yourself any needed pep talks. Boot your confidence.
- Picture the outcome.Visualizing the results will fuel yur progress.
- Move past failure.Don’t expect everything to go your way. Recognize and accept mistakes and plod on leaving them in the dust.
- Attempt one at a time.No matter how many goals you have tackle the easiest one first. Once completed, move onward and upward.
- Practice resolve in small ways every day. Attempt to resist small temptations every day like snacks, too much TV time, or reading tabloid magazines.
- Accept full responsibility for your actions.
We know we’ve set lofty goals for you but if you put them into place you won’t believe how all else will start to fall in line.
Happy New Year!
