Around the end of December, you started reflecting on what the year was like. You decided it was time to reinvent yourself, so you began to think of what goals you wanted to achieve this new year and hopped on Pinterest to look for inspiration and create your vision board. But… you’ve been doing this since December 2023. Did you really stick to it? Did you reach all of your goals? If you’re like me, then you probably didn’t for the most part.
Something I’ve learned over the years of making New Year’s resolutions is that we tend to always romanticize what our year will look like, and January is the month that we get a load of motivation to start showing up to the gym, study a new language, read a new book, and increase healthy habits. However, we often skip over the planning attribute of new resolutions. We visualize what we will look like and the end of the year, but skip over analyzing what behaviors, routines, and habits are essential to meeting those goals.
Rather than simply compiling pretty and aesthetic images, take time to think about what steps you need to take. Think of when you want the goal to be achieved and whether the steps you plan to take will allow you to meet the goal by your desired time. Additionally, ask yourself whether these goals are reasonable and ponder the reasoning behind wanting to achieve them. Making a list or writing down your schedule can help you plan when you will fit in time for habits. Being consistent with these habits moves you toward your goal. For example, if you work out every day for 30 minutes to an hour, it is more likely to see results than working out once a week for 5 hours. Similarly, if you take time to study French for 30 minutes a day, you will likely see results rather than studying for 3 hours one day a week. Additionally, this practice builds a healthier experience, as you avoid burnout from cramming activities into one day.
One way to keep up with these habits is to create a journal where you make a spread for each month, week, or however you would like to section it off. Another is to write down a to-do list and your goal for a specific period. Another idea could be to make a presentation of the journal for yourself so that you can save it as a PDF and edit it. If you are the type who wants to include pictures, you could potentially collect images that reflect progress rather than an end product, based on the section.