New beginnings…
What is it with us people at the start of a new year? We come up with New Years resolutions: loose pounds, gain a new job or partner, increase my salary, worry less, add new friends, relax more, speed up the career and be happy! Many people come up with ambitious goals. Yet flabbergasting 70% of our goals fail utterly in January. Yet almost 80% of people with resolutions are convinced they will stick with it. Yet in reality only one in four managed to do so. We know it is not working but yet we still do it. And we do it literally since ages: it dates back to the Babylonians, 4000 years ago! Back then they used it to return borrowed goods and pay of debts.
Seven tips to help you setting and reaching your resolutions:
1. Keep it simple: be realistic. Instead of going to the gym 5 times a week, aim for two visits.
2. Tell your friends, colleagues and family: this way you feel more supported
start new resolutions in august: after the holidays we have more energy, feel good and have to adjust to new behaviors (from the beach to the office) anyway.
3. Change your ways, don’t focus on resolutions. Our brain takes at least 40 days to fully adjust to new behavior. Keep up the good work for three weeks and you have it under your belt.
4. Break up your resolutions into projects and after reaching one goal start up the next. Reaching a goal gives us energy and pride which is helping as fuel for the new challenge.
5. Eat healthily, sleep plenty and move that lazy body! A healthy body is way more able and equipped to do the hard work to reach all of your goals.
6. And last but certainly not least: make it SMARTI:
S = specific
M = measurable
A = acceptable
R = realistic
T = time wise
I = inspirational
So, unlike me, don’t go for loosing 20 kilo’s in 4 months (I wish…!), yes it is very acceptable and specific but is not realistic and totally not doable in four months. Instead, this year I will go for love, togetherness and relaxation: all I reach.
