Resolution Time

In just a couple of short days we will be saying goodbye to 2019 and hello to a brand new decade! For some of us this decade has been great. However for others there may have been quite a few balls dropped...pun intended.

When we end the year with a list of things we wish we had gotten done, that we plan to get done etc., we create resolutions. Now I’m more of a goals girl myself, I’ve personally never set a resolution.
 
The reason I’ve avoided resolutions is because they never seem to get done. I would hear year after year about what someone was going to do in the new year and then shortly after they completely forget about it.
 
According to this study from 2016 less than half of our resolutions last more than 6 months!

I wasn’t shocked at all by this, and if you’re being honest with yourself you probably aren’t either. There’s even a”national holiday” in January dedicated to giving up on your resolutions.

It’s basically become tradition to abandon the things that we set out to do. Even when we set out to do them with the greatest of intentions. 

The problem with that is we create an unaccountable society.

With all of that said, I’m not telling you not to set resolutions. Essentially they are goals, they just tend to be set at the beginning of the year. (Although you can set a resolution at any point).

If you’re serious about whatever it is you’re setting out to do...you must be since you’ve read this far..it’s pretty important to understand why we made quitting on ourselves the norm. There are several reasons; fear, lack of motivation, lack of support, frustration, ignorance and my absolute favorite...not having enough time.

I really love it when I hear that famous line “I don’t have time”

My response “Yes you do, what you don’t have is discipline.”

I know people don’t like to hear or accept it but we all, literally,  have the same amount of time in the day. Sure we have different sets of responsibilities and therefore our time can be divided up differently. However, I’ve learned that we make time for what’s truly important to us or that we are comfortable with.

Comfort zones are where dreams go to die. Before you make your resolution(s) ask if you’re able/willing to remove yourself from your comfort zone? Are you really ready to dedicate your time and energy to it?

If you answered yes to both of those questions, read on. If you weren’t sure or said no, maybe you should take some time to reflect on what resolution you should be setting. 

There are a number of ways to “make time” for your resolutions, here are a few I have found that help;

• Make it important to you. I talk about valuable goals all the time and it’s no different with resolutions. Figure out why you set this resolution, then ask yourself if it’s a priority or just an idea. As you work on your resolution keep your why in mind and remind yourself of why it’s a priority.

• Stop using your time to do things that don’t align with the resolution you’ve set for yourself. Let’s imagine you’ve decided to save money for 2020 and pay down debt. Take some time out to plan that budget out. Don’t go out to eat when you have food at home. Instead of taking a trip to the mall, use that time to learn about paying down debt. Maybe even call some debt collectors to see what your options are. Now not only have you saved money as you set out to do...you’ve also used your time to get closer to your goal. The hard part to this is doing what you need to do when you want to do what you’ve been doing in years past.

• For the visual learner, calendar blocking.. For this one let’s imagine you have decided to start a Vlog in 2020. Set aside time each month/week/day (depending on post frequency) to work on your videos. That time is spent specifically on your Vlog and nothing else. If you have a digital calendar that you share be sure to share that you’re unavailable at those times. This strategy is really helpful for anyone who has a full schedule. Calendar blocking takes time to get used to, especially if you don’t have experience with prioritizing
  

• Eliminate excuses. When I talk about excuses fitness often comes to mind. A lot of time is wasted making excuses and submitting to them. Less time would be utilized looking for a solution and acting on it. The time passes regardless, you can either work toward your goal or you can make excuses as to why you aren’t. I was the one who made excuses when it came to working out. For almost a year, and I felt they were valid reasons at the time. In reality I spent almost a year avoiding doing something until the perfect moment. Had I not done that I’d be a lot closer to my fitness goals.

As you’re working on making time for the resolutions you set, remember that it’s consistency that makes the difference. Know what the rewards of following through with your resolution are. In contrast also know what the consequences are if you don’t.

More than half of the resolutions set don’t get accomplished and end up forgotten. You don’t have to succumb to the norm of society you can rise above it. Set a valuable resolution and be consistent in working on it. Let’s make 2020 a year of accomplishments rather than a year of intent.

Sometimes we struggle to do these things on our own and that’s ok. Accountability isn’t a skill that we are taught in grade school. That’s why I’m here, join me in #GCAPP 4 weeks of personalized accountability training.

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