2021 is a highly anticipated year for everyone: new president, new vaccine, new tv shows, new climate policies, and New Year’s resolutions. I agree that 2020 was not a good year, but no one knows if 2021 will be any better, because the truth of the matter is that bad events don’t stop happening because it’s “a new year!”. There are many things in life that we can’t fix or control, unfortunately, but the one thing we can always improve on is ourselves.
New Year’s resolutions can be intimidating to commit to after you make them. The first few days of a new year, many people decide to make lists in their head or physically write out goals that they’d like to achieve that year. Goals range from anything regarding self-care and self-improvement to career or money. It’s always good to know what you want out of life, but if you make everything on your New Years’ list “to get skinny” or “to stop spending as much” (very broad goals), there is a low chance you will achieve them. So here’s my proposal on how to reshape New Year’s resolutions: instead of making broad and (borderline) unattainable goals for the year, break down those resolutions into more specific mini-goals for a specific month or a week!
My roommate is actually the person who inspired me to not only write this article but make these mini-goals for myself. The first step is to write down a specific list of genuine things you want to achieve this year. For example, instead of saying, “I want to be a better artist,” change it to “I will draw something every day for a month.” Another example would be instead of saying, “I want to be healthier,” change it to, “I will not eat snacks/sugar for a week.” You’d be surprised how fast habits will stick too. Your goal may only be “for a month,” but if you genuinely stick with it, it will most likely last longer than that, or at least be integrated more consistently into your lifestyle. Setting goals months in advance will also keep you more motivated and looking forward to what’s to come. Make sure not to overcrowd your months, although it may be helpful to double-up (ex: drinking water every day for a month and staying off of social media for a week). Your goals don’t have to be related to each other to work together but make sure that you’re able to juggle them at the same time.
One important factor in goal-setting is to make your resolutions authentic to you. You’re not going to feel motivated to go out and do something for yourself if it’s not truly something you see yourself achieving or wanting to achieve. Don’t put “working out every day” on your resolutions list just because your friends are doing it. Although working out every day/consistently can be a good thing, the main focus should be what you prioritize in your life and what makes sense for you to achieve. Your goals are also allowed to change, nothing is set and stone. If you make a resolution in advance that doesn’t seem to fit into your lifestyle when the time comes, ditch it!
Here’s the start of my “calendar” that I made for myself to follow in 2021 just in case anyone needed inspiration:
- January: Workout 4-5 times a week, eat less sugar/snacks
- February: Give up Twitter and Tik Tok for a week, drink only water with your meals
- March: Draw a little bit every day, check in on your friends weekly (set dates to talk)
- April: Hold off on online shopping, watch a new movie every Friday
- May: Bullet Journal every day
- June-July: TBA
Everything in my calendar consists of mini-goals I’d like to see myself achieve. Accomplishing the small things will prepare you for bigger goals and can improve your self image. Obviously, there are larger resolutions I’d like to manifest into my life this year such as not holding grudges, stop comparing myself to others, maintaining straight A’s, getting a job, etc. However, some things shouldn’t only be confined to a few months, especially when it comes to improving yourself as a person, and not just enhancing skills, muscles, or self-control. It’s important to check in on your big goals just as much as your mini-goals, but breaking them down can definitely make that path smoother for you.
Speaking of making things smoother for yourself, I want to mention accountability. It’s always a good idea to show your resolutions to friends or family around you. This doesn’t mean you should solely depend on those around you to make sure you’re achieving your goals, but a check-in once in a while from people who love and support you can give you that extra boost of motivation. However, accountability for yourself should be your number one priority. Don’t get comfortable with taking too many off days/cut yourself too much slack, because that could lead to old habits and procrastination. There are many reasons why people procrastinate on their goals, one of them being the fear of losing your comfort zone. Trust me when I say that your life will be so much easier when you start trusting in the process and taking leaps of faith.
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and put some truth behind the phrase “New Year, New Me!”