So Christmas just ended and you're probably already burned out from trying to get everything for your loved ones. After all, it's so hard to get gifts just right for all those personalities. But it seems like just when the gift giving is done, there is another task to be tackled... your New Years resolutions. Most of us make goals like "I'll work out 4 times a week" or "I'm going to quit drinking soda", but by the 17th we've totally forgotten our goals and abandoned them completely. Well, I'm here to tell you, that there is indeed a way to follow through on your resolutions. Want to know how? Read onward fellow humans! I must be honest, I have a huge problem with the holiday season in general. My reason is because I don't need a holiday to tell me when to get someone a gift, show my love, or better myself. I can do that any day of the week, and in fact this is my first step to accomplishing your resolution...just forget that it's a resolution at all. If you have a list on your wall that says "New Years Resolutions", I dare you to take it right now and change the title to just straight-up "Goals". This breaks the pressure, and gives you more digestible content. Not to mention, it makes it more relevant, because come February, March, and April that list is going in one place...the trash! Now that the pressure is off your list, you need to let the pressure off of yourself. My other problem with New Years Resolutions is that it asks you to be perfect. Well, in case you guys didn't know perfection is a man-made ideal, and it doesn't exist in nature. We focus really hard to be at the top of our own standards but sometimes those standards aren't reachable, and when we don't meet them we feel worse about ourselves then we did to begin with! That's simply not okay. You need to not be hard on yourself for taking a cheat day, or messing up. The most important thing is that you get back on the horse. Just because you took a lazy day, don't abandon your goal, just accept that you took a step backwards and take a few steps forward tomorrow. Instead of setting difficult goals and abandoning them, set small goals, set them often, and reach them. Don't set a New Year resolution, set weekly resolutions. You'll see that the smaller, easier accomplishments will add up to bigger more significant changes. Let's say your resolution was to quit smoking. Unless you have incredible will power, quitting smoking is no easy feat. Maybe right now you're at a pack a day, maybe your goal this week will be 3/4 a pack a day, the next will be half, and so on. By making gradual advances, it will bring you closer to your long-term goal, and you will feel great for making progress. It feels pretty crappy when your New Years resolution was to quit smoking, and on day two you're back to your same amount. I know it doesn't sound like much but those three easy steps will help you to not abandon your goals, and accomplish them in a natural progression. Don't forget to be kind to yourself. There is nothing worse than feeling bad that you didn't do as best as you thought you would, but beating yourself down will only make it less likely for you to attempt to tackle your goals in the future. Life doesn't have to be this big, intense gesture. Life is a gradual flow through different phases, so be kind to yourself, and be patient! Rome wasn't built in a day. So get out there, download this cute little short-term and long-term goals template I made to help you, and get going! If you need a little more guidance throughout the year, don't forget to come back to this post and share your progress, or share your goals in the comments below. I wish you all the best of luck on all your self-improvement endeavors!
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AboutA Guide to Using Art as a Coping Skill, through the lens of a former psychiatric ward patient, and current painter. Archives
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