Tips for Setting Your New Year’s Resolutions

2020 is coming to a close, and we don’t know about you, but we are ready to say goodbye to such a weird year. With a new year comes a new start. We know many of you will be setting New Year’s resolutions, or at least thinking of some goals you want to accomplish in 2021. 

Often our resolutions fail from lack of motivation. However, making the right resolutions is equally as important to our ability to keep them. So as you look forward to the year ahead, here are some tips for setting healthy New Year’s resolutions you can achieve!

Wrong Resolutions

If there are right resolutions, then what makes a resolution wrong? The most common mistakes people make when setting their resolutions is being too vague or not establishing a plan for achievement. Resolutions are also tough to stick to if we base them off of what someone else or society tells us we should be, and not what we truly want to be.

SMART Goals

Ever head of the acronym SMART for goal-setting? There are some slight variations out there, but typically it stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based. Any target you set, whether for your health, career or personal life, should be SMART. So let’s look at each of these a little deeper:

• Measurable - Using the water example again, “more” is hard to measure and know whether or not you are truly achieving your goal. But 8 glasses is a clear, measurable number that you either accomplish or you don’t.
• Achievable - Sometimes you may see the A stand for Attainable, but the idea is the same. An impossible goal is impossible, no matter how hard you work. And if it’s not something you can achieve, you’ll certainly give up. We need to see the light at the end of the tunnel to keep us motivated to keep working.
• Relevant - Your goal should be something that truly matters to you. If the end result is important to you, you are much more likely to stick with it. Some definitions have Realistic for R, but that’s pretty much the same as Achievable, so we like the Relevant definition more.
• Time-based - You may see Time-based, Time-bound, Timely, but it’s all the same. It means you need to set some kind of timeline or deadline for your goals to keep you on track. Again, achievability is key here when setting your deadlines. 

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute

Setting a resolution you really care about requires some thought. If you try to pick something on a whim, you’re going to end up influenced by how you are feeling just at that moment. Spend some time reflecting on all aspects of your health - mental, physical, relational, financial, spiritual, emotional - and think about what changes you would truly like to see. 

Make a Plan

Establishing your resolution is just the start. What you really need to do to follow through is create a plan. Whether it’s outlining a new routine, joining a new workout class, or picking an accountability buddy, it’s important to lay out the steps to success. 

2021 is looking up, babes. With some thoughtful SMART goals and your Vibe Tribe behind you, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish this new year!