Why Your New Year Begins Now
The new year is just around the corner, prompting many to once again begin the process of figuring out who they want to be as we enter an entirely new decade. The problem? The same people who are excited to tackle the new year are the same people who end up giving up on their goals halfway through January. Despite our best intentions, it can be hard to stick with the goals that we set for ourselves, especially if these goals include behaviors that we are not currently engaging in.
Choosing to give up on your new year's resolutions can largely be associated with the fact that we make the new year a symbol of hope and frame our achievements in black and white. If we aren't able to take off running when the new year hits, we give up and revert back to old habits. The key to success? Realizing that change begins now is the first step to making the new year changes that you are looking forward to. The 2020 version of you is cultivated in many small steps, not by leaps and bounds.
That said, choosing to make the necessary changes now and reframe your current state of mind may not always be enough. You will still need helpful tips to successfully carry you into the new year and beyond. If you are looking to make the most out of 2020, begin now, and take a look at some of the tips below to help you get the most out of each day that you are given!
1. Make Sure That You Start Out Small and Grow Over Time
When you establish goals that are too large, especially if those goals aren't already incorporated into your current lifestyle, you are going to inevitably fail. While the new year does provide you with new opportunities, it isn't going to transform you into someone you are not. Whatever your goals may be, make sure to break them down into bite-sized chunks that you can accomplish on a regular basis, and make sure that you only start to make these daily goals larger when you feel like you can take them on. If you start too big and fail, you are going to scare yourself off from the success that you are looking for in the new year.
Let's say that one of your goals is to build your skills and land a higher paying job. This goal has a lot of elements to it that you will need to build up to. You can break down your goal into sections that may include taking classes at a local college or online, seeking out a job that is closer to the job you want, and networking with professionals who can make your dreams a reality. Your goal can always be broken down. When you make your goal more achievable, you will accomplish far more over the course of the new year!
2. Stay Motivated With Goals That You Really Want to Achieve (or Take It Easy on Yourself)
If you are accustomed to the yearly goal-setting process, there is probably that one goal that you never really get around to. One great example of this is fitness and weight loss goals. Many people want abs and a thinner frame, but no one is that invested to actually work for that over the course of the new year. If you want to succeed in your goals, you need to set goals that you are truly passionate about and willing to work for. This will keep you motivated as you track your progress and reach your goal. If you are not truly passionate about your goal but it is still something that you want or feel that you need to do, try to make it easier to achieve. For example, if you do want to lose some weight, adjust your diet so that you can lose weight slowly over time without having to get up early for the gym. The easier a goal is to accomplish, the more success you will have!
3. Make Changes Where Possible, When Possible
A lot of people believe that change needs to happen all at once. While this is the ideal situation for most of us, the only way to truly change our habits is to work on them over time. Let's imagine that my goal is to make more money this year. I am not going to be able to land a six-figure job on January 1st, start a bunch of passive income streams, and become rich before we even close in on February. This kind of new year resolution just isn't possible, even though the concept of such a massive shift can seem attractive. If I'm really going to change my income and earn more in 2020, I need to figure out exactly how to go about making this goal a reality, start making small changes in my daily schedule that will help me to make more money or target new ways to make money, and grow this over time until I am achieving the goal that I set out to do. If you feel like you are trying to do too much at once, you are never going to be able to reach your goal as you are not actually experiencing any growth. When you make your changes over time, you can track your progress and make things happen on your schedule. It doesn't need to happen right now (and it isn't going to)!
Don't get caught up in thinking that change can only happen when the new year arrives. Change begins now! You get to choose when you change, and the choices that you make will ensure that change continues over the course of the new year and beyond. If you are looking forward to 2020 as your year, make sure to start figuring out your goals and making changes now with the tips included in the article above. This year is your year!
