Creating Sustainable New Year’s Goals
While I don’t believe that we need to wait until the New Year to make changes or start something new, I will say that the beginning of a new calendar year is a good time do so. Since it’s human nature to use January 1st as a benchmark for motivation to change the world, we might as well make the most of it!
I know that many people have goals/resolutions that would fall under the becoming “healthier” or “bettering yourself” category, and I love that we aim to do that in the New Year. I also know that we tend to start really strong out of the gate by setting borderline unrealistic goals because morale is so high, then we fall out sooner than planned. This usually results in feeling like a failure because you weren’t able to maintain whatever your set plan was.
But what if I told you that you weren’t the problem? Generally speaking, we tend to make goals that are very intense and not very sustainable, which is why we are often unable to maintain them. As Drake said, zero to 100 real quick.
Let me use a real life example to help put this into practical terms. Picture this, you decide to go “sugar free” on January 1st. It goes amazing for about 2 days and you’re on top of the world, the world is your oyster. But then…being a human happens and you end up eating sugar on day 3. Since the original goal was no sugar whatsoever under any circumstance, you feel like a total failure and find yourself “giving up” and consuming more sugar than before as a response to rigid rules and deprivation. Sound familiar?? (PS: I am NOT implying you need to cut sugar, not at all. This is simply a popular example).
Most people fall into the cycle of implementing extreme changes, falling short, and then giving up all in all (which happens a lot this time of year). That’s one approach, but I’m willing to bet the extreme changes were made because you’re seeking a lifestyle change. This comes by implementing changes over time, and not giving up when you fall short of a goal. I want to help you shift your mindset for the long haul, not just a 30 day band-aid.
I can’t tell you what your specific goals or intentions should be, but I can help you reframe your goals to make them more sustainable and probably more successful! We’re in this game for the long haul, it’s more fun/rewarding this way, I promise.
Using the example from above, how would we go about reframing that? What if you made it a goal to be more mindful about your sugar intake? This could look like: making a conscious effort to decrease the amount of sugar you consume by looking at labels if you never have before, making a mental note about the timing/situations where you find yourself wanting sugar, or subbing an item with lower sugar here and there. This goal/mindset shift is built around same underlying desire as the original, but it allows for flexibility and being human. It’s an overarching goal with subcategories and variations to achieve the main goal. Through this process, you’ll learn more about which foods contain more sugar, and how to consume in moderation rather than total restriction. This approach sets you up for the long haul because you’re now able to make knowledge based choices which slowly adds up to become a subconscious practice in your everyday life.
The same process can be applied to any goal. Another big example is working out. We always hear people joke about how the gyms are always more crowded in January, and then it falls off by February. Does it make sense now? It usually starts with a well intentioned goal to go all out in the gym 7 days a week or bust. Once again, this isn’t realistic for anyone, especially if you’re just beginning or picking exercise back up. A sustainable approach would be to have a goal of getting in the gym a couple times a week to start off, and slowly increasing the frequency and duration of your workouts as your body adapts. There is no such thing as failure with this method, only progress.
I hope that these examples help you understand the mindset around setting and reframing goals, and encourage you to set yourself up for success heading into the New Year. Remember, it’s about longevity and making sustainable life changes. The process should be challenging yet enjoyable, not miserable. Whatever your goals may be, rather fitness, nutrition, or personal, I’m rooting for you and I hope that this is YOUR year. Here’s to 2023!
