How many times have you failed to fulfil your New Year's resolutions? Another chance of success starts in a couple of days. Make the most of it, holistically. How?
I know that there are many websites where you can find information about making New Year's resolutions. However, not much can be found on how to do it effectively and holistically. Hence I have decided to write and publish an article which will help you to succeed in 2024.
Holistic Meaning of New Year's Resolutions
Commonly, New Year's resolutions look like this:
I stop smoking/drinking/gambling/ eating junk food.
I do more exercises.
I spend more time with my family.
Why Do We Fail?
Firstly, most of the resolutions made for New Year are too general and they do not take difficulty into account (what does it mean "doing exercises"?).
We often are prepared for accidental failures which will happen but that does not mean that all the resolution is gone. I have written about it in an article published recently.
Secondly, resolutions often concern one of two fields of life and usually those which cause pain instead of giving us pleasure. We mostly bother with finance and career, sometimes health and family. Spiritual life, however, is neglected and we rarely create a plan according to the soul.
So when all areas of life are not in harmony, stress and negativity will impede the resolutions made. How easy is it to be comfortable with a bar of chocolate after a bitter exchange with your partner? And if you resolved to stop eating sweets, you have just failed.
What Is the Difference Between Resolutions And Goals
In the shortest, goals are targets achieved at a given point in time. Resolutions are the ways to work on goals made for a given period (here - a year).
Even if you lose 4 kg by not eating sweets, this resolution is still valid. However, many techniques used for setting goals are also useful for making resolutions. The best result is when you combine goals with resolutions.
Also, we do not reflect on our mistakes and failures, making other resolutions spontaneously and often under pressure from peers (e.g., I need to have a better car, be slimmer) or because of a doctor's diagnosis (i.e. cancer).
Recommended reading: How to Be a Master of Setting Achievable Life Goals
7 Steps To Make New Year's Resolutions Effective
So, what can you do? I will give you the formula of seven steps. Follow them in order and your next year's resolutions will be effective, i.e., you will avoid failures or minimise them.
Attention: Do these exercises in writing, in a special diary bought for this purpose.
Step 1. Review Last Year's Resolutions
What have you achieved? Analyse the results. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, examine why it happened.
Write down the conclusions, and what lesson you have learned. The next time you can always do things differently and avoid doing those which do not work.
Let's say that you wanted to lose weight, but instead, you gained another few kilos. The reasons for failure may concern social pressure, an emotional crisis or just too easy access to sweets. Make it a table and analyze each resolution:
This Year's resolution
What have I achieved?
Why have I failed/succeeded?
What have you achieved this year?
Step 2. Decide
If you are not satisfied with the results of meeting your resolutions for this year, consider them for the next one.
Suppose that you are overcritical of yourself, you might decide to decrease this by learning how to be more compassionate to yourself, to accept your flaws and imperfections.
But sometimes you might think that the last year's resolution is not worth the trouble, and you will dump it.
Also, do not forget that within a year, you and your life circumstances might have changed, so your priorities and life values have evolved.
For example, you have lost your job and now improving your self-confidence will be your priority. Or you have had a heart attack and next year you need to keep up with a new diet.
Reflect for a while upon the changes in your life and describe how they might influence your New Year's resolutions. Dop it in writing.
Step 3. Define Your "Why" For Each Resolution
No resolution will be met without finding the reasons for working on it. If you have a "why “strong enough, then in times of crisis or occasional failure, you will still succeed.
The reasons must be genuine yours, not because of “what others want, say” etc. More about setting the goals which are indeed yours is in one of my last articles.
So take each potential resolution for the next year and write down the reasons. Dig as deep as possible. For example:
I stop eating sweets. After all, I take care of my body because (deeper reason) I want to be fit because (even deeper reason) I want to be able to fulfil my life mission and enjoy life to the fullest.
You can find more than one reason for your resolution. The second example, unfortunately, is based on external factors (acceptance by friends.)
I stop eating sweets because I want to be accepted by my friends because I want to feel more self-confident and love myself more because then I will be able to enjoy life and help other people.
Step 4. Identify the Obstacles
So you are motivated and know your "why" and might want to plough into working on your resolutions... But stop.
While working on any resolution, you will face obstacles. The good news is that you can identify them in advance, so they will not surprise you, overwhelming or paralysing.
Knowing the obstacles, you can prepare an action plan to beat them. List all your potential obstacles, writing them down. You can use the following table:
table
Resolution Obstacle I stopped eating sweets and could not resist during meetings with my family and friends because of social pressure.
When I feel sad, I feel the urge to reach for a bar of chocolate.
Step 5. Make an Action Plan On Overcoming These Obstacles
Do you know any strategies to overcome your obstacles? In some cases, you will be able to cope with your problems yourself. However, sometimes you will need others' help.
What are you going to give these people in return? Write down all the methods you can use to win your challenges and define when other people's help is necessary and what to offer for it. Do it for each obstacle of each resolution.
Here is an example:
Table
Obstacles How to Overcome Them cannot resist during meetings with my family and friends because of social pressure. I go only for a very important meeting and eat something healthy before the party.
I will see sweets and cakes as a mass of chemicals, fat, and calories. This technique will help me to resist temptation. When I feel sad, I feel the urge to reach for a bar of chocolate. I play soothing music.
I write uplifting affirmations.
I changed my thoughts to positive.
I do catharsis. I have low motivation at the end of the day I have a power/caffeine nap.
I listen to soothing music.
I recall my "why”. Action Plan.
Of course, the example above is not the whole plan, just a small fragment. To make it more efficient, add deadlines and/or the duration time and frequency of implementation.
Step 6. Define A Reward
Now that you know what you want to accomplish and what obstacles you can meet, the time has come to define how you will reward yourself.
There is no point in working on your goals and resolutions without rewarding the effort made and celebrating your success. Define in writing, what it could be.
One word of caution: your reward cannot be something that will destroy your resolution. So in the case of giving up sweets do not plan a lovely dessert at the cafe. There are many other ideas that you can use:
The victory gestures, standing or sitting.
Dancing or singing your favourite song.
Congratulations - you can even print a special letter of congratulations and hang it on the wall. Be creative and make one, something similar to a collage.
Buying something nice (but be careful if your resolution concerns shopaholism.)
The shout of victory: "Yeah!" "Well done!"
Reward yourself every day for successfully fulfilling the resolution and when you have achieved a milestone.
Step 7. Write It Down in Your Calendar
After a written analysis of your resolution according to the steps described above, you may notice that these resolutions are too difficult or unrealistic in some other way. There may be too many of them or too general.
So, sit and correct your resolutions if necessary. When you are ready, write them down in the calendar - diary plus on flashcards which you will place in the visible parts of your house until the new resolution becomes a habit.
Apart from the formula above, check some other important things:
SMART,
who motivates you to make this resolution (this will be seen in Step Three),
the difficulty of your resolution,
if it reconciles with your life values, goals, and other resolutions.
More about these factors are in some earlier posts published this December.
Let me remind you of all the procedures once again:
review last year's resolutions,
choose the resolutions for the coming year,
define the "why" for each resolution,
define the obstacles,
plan on how to overcome the obstacles,
define your reward,
write the resolution down and place it in a visible place.
Use Meditation for Help
Try to discover if your resolution is worth the trouble. You can do it while meditating. Beforehand, ask God for a clue.
Let's Meditate Together
Connect by telepathy during meditation on Saturdays at 8 pm GMT. I will meditate with you and other people so that our joint energy can create miracles. Send your intention to the Universe. Transform your life and the world.
More about meditation
In A Nutshell
Today I have described to you the seven-step formula for setting any New Year's resolution. Try it for the coming year and your results will be more successful. Good luck. With lots of love and light,
Vicky
About
Vicky is an experienced holistic writer and coach who inspires, motivates, and encourages everyone to become the best version of themselves - physically, mentally, and spiritually.
DISCLAIMER
The content of Awaken Happy Life is published for educational and informative purposes only. It does not substitute medical or any other professional advice. Please seek professional care if you believe you may have a condition. The author of Awaken Happy Life is not liable for any consequences of applying any piece of advice published on this website by the reader.