So how many New Year goals or resolutions need to be set? Did you write them down? Did you accomplish any of them? We often set goals or resolutions and are disappointed when we are not successful. How many times have you heard “did you make any New Years’ goals or resolutions? How many? What are they?”

Well, I know over the years I have succumbed to setting a few. I was always guilty of not putting them down on paper and by the end of January, I have totally forgotten about them. Last year was different. Even though I did not write them down, I made three and stuck to them until today! Hurray! Hurray!

My 2018 New Year goals or resolutions

In 2018 eating healthy, losing weight to benefit my health, and doing daily affirmations was what I choose to accomplish.

Eating Healthy

Eating healthy started in January with a 45-day Nutrition Repo program. It was self-directed but the Nutritionist offering the program provided a weekly menu and grocery list to follow. We would buy our food and do all the prep for the week on Sunday.

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This was similar to how I followed the Paleo diet, as well as being structured like the Paleo diet too. I found food prep done like this was the best and easiest way to keep on track. If you would like to know more about the paleo diet Click here *.

The nutritionist taught portion size and dealt with food-related issues like celiac, gluten-free, and diabetes.

The program featured a closed Facebook page that allowed a place for venting, getting support, and being able to share success.

This definitely set me up for success. You need to change your behavior to be successful. In order for behavior to become successful, you need to do it for 21 days. Doing this for 45 days greatly reinforced this. I have been following a keto-type diet now for several months and find it gives me the best of everything.

Weight loss

My method for weight loss was simply walking. Back in 2011 I started Crossfit and loved it. I continued with this kind of activity until 2016 when a bad accident sidelined me.

January 1, 2018, I started by walking for 20 minutes. I now walk 1 to 11/2 hours on most days. Now that is a success!!!

Weight Loss 

Daily Affirmations

As I walk I accomplish my third goal of daily affirmations. It is very easy to get into my zone and accomplish this task. I find it calming and relaxing.

Daily affirmations can help to be grateful, be thankful, apologize to yourself or others.

The need to PLAN for success

So how do you make it so that you can successfully complete your New Year goals or resolutions? You make a plan!

Step 1 is to brainstorm several ideas. This is a matter of jotting down 5 to 10 items that you want to deal with.

Step 2 is to rank these and pick 3 that you consider most important to you.

Step 3 is to break the item into smaller, more doable parts. You may need to take your weight loss goal of 20 lbs. and figure out how much that is each month and then each week. This makes it a manageable outcome.

You may have chosen to save money for a vacation. That goal always seems so daunting. But is it really? No, it’s not. If you plan to go to an all-inclusive you need about $1,800.00.Did you know that if you put away $5.00 every day you will have $1,852.00 on Dec 31, 2019, to go on that trip! Now that is a real possibility.

Being Successful with your New Year goals and resolutions

New Year

My New Year goals or resolution success over this past year reflects following this path. This example gives all this some perspective.

The weight loss goal I had was to lose 25 lbs. How I did it was to download a fitness app on my phone. For 1 week I tracked my daily steps, then averaged them to determine daily steps. I then doubled the number of steps for each day. My goal resulted in 29 lbs lost.

Success in encouraging! I will continue with walking because it is my habit now.

My three New Year goals or resolutions are 1)Continue healthy eating because there is always room for improvement 2) Intentional Affirmations and 3) Exercise more by still walking but also doing yoga.

When you break down the big picture into small thumbnail sizes it all of a sudden becomes more doable. It becomes more manageable. It becomes a done deal!

Happiest New Year and good luck with your goals/resolution-making. Check out “Are you on track with your New Years’ goals?” for part two of this blog.