Making the Most of the New Year
What is it about a new year that fills us with such drive and optimism and faith in our ability to turn over new leaf? Are you still on track with your goals for 2018, now that we’re a couple of weeks in?
Here are some tips for accomplishing more than you ever imagined is possible.
Spread Your Goals Out Over the Year
Change is hard. Lots of change all at once is almost impossible. Try spreading out some of your New Year’s goals over the course of the year. Assign each goal to its own month or quarter, so you’re not trying to cram everything into January. We put so much emphasis on the New Year, but you can recommit yourself to your goals at each New Month or New Week, too, you know!
Tie a New Habit to an Old Habit
It’s hard to remember to do something new in your oh-so-busy life, but you already have habits in your life that can be anchors for new habits you want to add. Try this: “Before I walk the dog in the morning, I’ll practice holding a plank.” Or, “After I brush my teeth, I’ll spend five minutes meditating.” Pick something you already do religiously, and let your new habit ride piggyback.
Give Yourself Some Slack
Be gentle with yourself when your plans get derailed. When you first set your goals, acknowledge that life is messy and complicated, and things will come up that pull you off track. When it happens, be kind to yourself, and renew your resolve. It’s ok to start over as many times as it takes!
Frame Your Resolutions as Positives
Put on your marketing cap for this one, and think about your resolutions in terms of the benefits they provide. Instead of “I’m finally gonna stop eating so much junk this year,” try this: “When I invest an hour on the weekend planning out meals and shopping lists, I will eat better, I will spare myself the agony of dinner decision fatigue, and I may even be able to enlist help from the family!” Really make a case for how you’ll benefit when you achieve your goal.
Make Some Fun Resolutions, Too!
Sure, it’s good to plan to move more, eat better, and get organized, but try to include some resolutions that enrich you in other ways. This year my husband and I have resolved to get out to more concerts, plays and other cultural events. What will you do for fun this year?
The goal setting you do early in the year can set a tone for your whole year and help you prioritize your time and energy. When 2019 rolls around and you look back at 2018, what do you hope you’ll see?
More about LeeAnn Langdon....
Tell us a little bit about your business.
Prime of Life Fitness provides in-home personal fitness training for people at mid-life and beyond, with a special focus on helping people develop the fitness habits they need to age vibrantly and independently.
What makes you passionate about what you do?
I’m passionate about my work because I have seen how devastating it is for people to see their lives diminish as they lose physical function with age, injury, or lack of use. I’m positively evangelical about how big a difference you can make in the quality of your aging with some really minor lifestyle changes.
What do you enjoy doing for fun?
I love to travel with my husband, but when we’re closer to home we like to make our own walking tours around the metro area. We’ll pick a neighborhood, do some research about the history and the architecture, and then we’ll wander through, admiring the houses, buildings and landscaping, and hopefully stumbling upon a cool local coffee shop or restaurant.
In the summer, it’s all about the garden. Hit me up in August if you need some zucchini!
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