I drink my glass of champagne at 2018 at a party, thinking to myself, all the goals I want to accomplish. “Eat healthier, learn more things, make stronger connection with friends.” Unfortunately just as the end of January 2018 ends, so did those goals that don’t pop up until 2019.
What is it about restarting goals in January? Or when people think about starting something new, and it’s near the end of the year, we wait till January.
“Simple, because it’s the start of the new year and from Christmas till the end of the year, you kinda have a mardi gras,” says my friend over the phone, munching on his favorite cookies. “You really hang out with your family and friends during the holidays, then you can start all new on January 2nd or 3rd. Be bad until you repent, and start new again.” Jillian Michael says the same thing as I workout to her YouTube video. “Just because one tire is broke, doesn’t mean you need to break all 3 tires. You can still get to your goals.”
So here it is. Step by step guide process on writing those goals and using one sentence reflections to keep you going.
1) Buy that journal that begs write me. It’s the very first step to making goals that you can visibly see and write. There’s some sort of accountability when you write your goals in a notebook. A Forbes article discusses who writing your goals in the most descriptive way, including details makes people most likely to accomplish their goals. Still not sure why writing your goals helps? It turns out that when you write them down, and reflect upon them, you set up this thing called “encoding” which creates long term memory. This means that goal /resolution that you kept at the beginning of the year becomes you remember all year long. Your chances increase in meeting your goal because you have it deep encoded in your brain.
2) Utilize one self care goal in your goals. If you are that hard worker, you want to succeed to the max and sometimes you may forget those moments you may need a little respite, reprieve, and relaxation. Use the one hour a week method to create a time for yourself. For me, I found baking almost therapeutic and at times mindfulness. There’s a sense of creating something amazing and delicious while calming my brain. Another example is try reading a book or an audiobook. The idea is your brain rests from your work or your project and activates the creative part of your brain that ultimately screams for fun.
3) Finally, if you have lots of goals to write down, use the Year Rule. 2019 is 19 goals to achieve. At the end of the year, you find out what you accomplished, need to carry over to the new year, and re-evaluate if some goals need some fine tuning. One successful way is to have your friends join you in their top 19 goals for 2019. You create accountability with each other.
Goal setting is easy. Accomplishing them is another task. I have found that if I typed them small enough, placed them on my desk, on the fridge, and reflect on my journal, I created these mini goals each month to work towards them. Need some more concrete ideas?
Here are mine for 2019:
#1)What: Read at least 2 books by the end of 2019
How: Find two books that are highly engaging to encourage me to complete the book.
Steps: Devote at least 10 minutes to reading a night before bed. Write in my journal thoughts about the book in case I slip and forget what I read.
Barriers: School. Unfortunately, school makes me not want to read other things, even if I find the book enjoyable.
Next check in: At 6 month (BY June 2019), I will have read at least 1 book. School will be over by then, so this may be more of a priority.
2) What: Self Care - Do Yoga at least 2-3 times per week.
How: Make sure to go after work. Since I have school, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, I have Monday evenings and possibly Fridays.
Barriers: School and work limit my number of times to go.
Next check in: every 3-4 months, and maintaining weight
I would love to try running but it’s been a daunting task. Probably something I need to do a long time ago but keep wishing it like a red harrow.
3) What: Increase my baking skills by baking something at least 1x week.
How: Utilize those bake books I bought. Learn techniques, and have people give me truths of how they taste.
Barriers: Time. Is there ever time to do something for yourself. Make time. Sunday afternoons during those lazy afternoons when there’s nothing to do.
4) What: Maintain intermittent fasting 8 hour rule 12-8pm daily.
Barriers: Weekends are hard but not impossible. Will work towards keeping this daily since I started it 6 months ago.
Meditation – I want to buy Headspace but it’s expensive. Tried their free app and it was so good and so helpful. Something to think about with their deal going on.
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References:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2018/04/15/neuroscience-explains-why-you-need-to-write-down-your-goals-if-you-actually-want-to-achieve-them/#710a33d67905
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