All too often during the time right before Christmas, we feel as if we are being stalked by the New Year approaching. Time is flying by. We look back and see that we didn’t accomplish that long list of resolutions we vowed to keep. There just wasn’t enough time, money, or energy. By February, five had been broken. By March, half of those that were left dried up to dust, only to be swept up and thrown in the trashcan. By June, we had forgotten all but one or two. Those, we actually worked on, or had reached. Maybe. By September, we were already thinking to ourselves what next year’s resolutions will be. And by November and December, we are plagued with having to make even more plans for the year coming up. Hmm…
Making changes are difficult at best, but some of our resolutions are borderline impossible. Studies show that the top five resolutions made are:
1. Get fit
2. Lose Weight
3. Quit _________ (fill in the blank for a bad habit)
4. Spend more time with family
5. Get out of debt
These all sound normal, but there are still so many other things on our list. And just hearing the word ‘resolution’ can be daunting. One thing you can do is to quit calling them Resolutions. It’s almost as if you are telling yourself it’s something that you need to do – not want to do. Instead, think of them as achievements you want to pursue, or successes you want to reach. I will much more willingly keep moving forward if I call it an achievement or success – Resolutions not so much.
If we are really serious about these achievements or successes, then we need to make them a part of our everyday life. We need a game plan. We need daily reminders. Here is a simple list of how you can keep your focus for the whole year, and maybe even make them good habits of daily living:
1. Avoid Overload – Nothing can help you lose momentum quicker than overloading yourself. Try trimming down your expectations to the top three to five most important things on your list. Then you won’t be quite so overwhelmed in trying to do it all. You can also ‘trim the fat’ of all the unnecessary busyness in your life by determining what your true priorities are, and eliminating those things that are designed to keep you moving, but not getting you anywhere.
2. Baby Steps – Changes take time. Trust me, by February you are not going to lose that fifty pounds or pay off credit card debts that are in the five figures. Each and every one of these things takes time and serious self-discipline. Set goals accordingly. Crash diets are not the way to go. Losing one to three pounds a week is a much safer plan. And you can do that just by making a few initial adjustments in your diet and exercise plan, then add a few as you go along.
3. Daily Reminders – Most of us have calendars we refer to in order to keep our schedule somewhat organized. If you are a member of the gym, pencil in ‘Gym’ three days a week. If you aren’t or are working on getting out of debt, pencil in ‘drop the gym membership’, and right underneath that, add the word ‘exercise’. If nothing else, schedule a thirty minute to one-hour walk, at least three times a week. Doing these things will help you reach two of the goals at once – getting financially fit and losing weight.
Another great way of giving yourself daily reminders is a chalkboard. I love mine, and call it ‘Chalkboard Wisdom’. On it I write various inspirational quotes that fit my current situation. They are daily reminders of who I am, what I want out of life, and encouragement to get things done and still stay true to myself. Right now, the one I have up there is “Procrastination is the arrogant assumption that God owes you another opportunity to do what you had time to do.” I don’t know who this quote is attributed to, but whoever it was certainly knew my attitude towards some of my new year’s goals.
4. Add a ‘Note to Self’ – My grocery list even has a note to myself at the top to keep my spending in check. It says, ‘Do you REALLY need everything on this list?!?’ It gives me a chance to evaluate everything on it, and to determine if it is really necessary. Making a list also helps to cut down on those impulse purchases. I also like to write notes to myself, reminding me of my goals. A sticky note on my computer reminds me to carve out at least an hour a day (preferably more, if time allows) to take a break.
5. Establish a Reward System – Each achievement you want to reach needs a set of mini-goals. If you want to lose thirty pounds this year, your first mini-goal would be ‘Lose five pounds in one month’. Did you lose it? Then celebrate! At the end of each goal, write down a reward that you will present yourself with upon reaching it. Make it fun but simple. For me, it would be a couple skeins of yarn that I have been drooling over, or a new book. When you have reached the half-way mark, up your reward just a little bit. Theater or concert tickets for you and a friend. A day off from your busy life with picnic and a good book. Rewards don’t have to cost financially, but they do have to be a true incentive. If necessary, keep a piggy bank where you add a dollar here, loose change there, to help finance these rewards. If you are diligent about it, the money will add up fast!
6. The Buddy System – Find a friend who also has achievements that are important for them to reach. Make daily phone calls, meet for coffee once a week or arrange an ‘emergency’ call system where you can each keep the other on track. Having to be accountable to ourselves is easy to breech. Having to be accountable to someone else makes quitting and giving up a bit harder.
You really don’t want to feel like you are being stalked by the New Year. Instead, learn how to see it as an opportunity to embrace the chance you have been given to make some much-needed changes in your life. Resolutions – or rather achievements and are easy to make, but don’t have to be hard to reach. It just takes a day-by-day approach, and a heart and mind that is willing to succeed.
If some of your desired achievements are geared toward shifting to a simpler lifestyle and you need help either getting started or sticking with your goals, just drop by for a visit and let me know where you stand. I’ll be happy to help you work through them and offer encouragement to keep you moving forward!
If you want to learn more about living a Simple Life, just visit my website at www.thefarmwife.com/ . If you’re enjoying listening to these podcasts, you can support the show by clicking the SUPPORT button in the show notes. When you do, you’ll be helping me continue bringing you fun and helpful ideas for living the Simple Life you love!
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Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting for the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.