Make This New Year Different

Many people use the New Year to think about goals for the future. Losing weight, working out, giving up bad habits… All of these things are common goals but so often people making these goals meet with failure in short order. In fact, you’ve probably had a similar experience. Why is it so hard to set positive goals and make them happen? Why does it seem so difficult to make improvements to ourselves? And what can I do to make this year different?

The Experts Advice

Well, there are several theories on this. Dr. Wayne Dyer said the reason we fail with our resolutions is because, “any resolution that involves you making decisions about long-range upcoming behavior reinforces the self-defeating notion of living in the future rather than in the present moment.” He suggests that, instead of setting big goals for the new year, we should set small goals for each new day.

So instead of saying, “I’m going to lose 40 pounds this year” and then feeling like a failure when you have a hard time resisting that chocolate cake three months from now, wake up each morning and ask yourself, “What healthy choices will I make today?” Then you can easily follow through on your goals, one day at a time, just by living in the moment.

Dr. Mercola offers further suggestions. Instead of making resolutions that are easy to break, focus on making lifestyle changes. Instead of making the resolution to work out for 45 minutes every day, decide each day that you will get in as much movement as possible. That way you aren’t telling yourself at the end of the day, “Ugh! I still have to get on the treadmill.” Much more satisfying is to end your day by recalling that you took the stairs instead of the elevator, walked in the park on your lunch break instead of playing Candy Crush on your computer, and walked the dog instead of letting him into the back yard while you veg in front of the TV. All those little things add up! You can learn lots more tips and tricks for creating a healthy lifestyle by reading my ebook, “The Secrets of Weight Loss, Diet, and Staying Lean Forever“.

Dr. Josh Axe believes it’s important that we understand why we are setting certain goals. For instance, instead of deciding you need to lose weight because “I’m fat”, think a little deeper. Do you want to lose weight because you want more energy? Do you want your clothes to fit better? Do you want to feel younger as you continue to get older? Take a moment to really dig deep and figure out your “why”. Dr Axe suggests writing these things down and posting them someplace where you can see it every day so you always remember your true motivation.

Success Tips

To sum things up, there are ways that you can be successful in meeting your goals:

1. Live in the moment. Set goals for each day instead of for the entire year.
2. Make lifestyle changes towards a healthier life instead of setting difficult goals like losing a certain number of pounds within a certain time frame.
3. Understand why you have the goals you have. Write down your why and read it every day.

Keep in mind, goals don’t just have to be about diet and fitness. Think about how you’d like to improve your relationships with friends, family and your significant other. If your marriage or relationship is struggling, I can help with my book, “How to Keep Your Man Interested“.

Live for the moment and enjoy every moment of the New Year! Together, we can make it your most successful year ever.