Happy New Year!
Resolve to BE the change you want to see in your life!
Happy New Year from The Living Course! The new year—more than any other time—is when many assess their lives and make resolutions for change, and TLC is the perfect catalyst. Join us for our January 27-29 weekend and set yourself on the path to positive change.
Take note that behavioral change requires sustained effort and commitment, so here are some tips to help you with your goals for the year:
Start small. Unhealthy behaviors develop over the course of time. Thus, replacing them with healthy ones requires time as well. Don’t get overwhelmed and think that you have to reassess everything in your life at once. Instead, work toward changing one behavior at a time. Habits and behaviors that are changed gradually have a greater chance of success.
Be realistic. By making resolutions you think you can keep, there is a greater chance that you will incorporate healthy behavior into your everyday life. Goals that aren’t too far fetched will be easier to accomplish. If, for example, your aim is to exercise more frequently, schedule three or four days a week at the gym instead of seven.
Be specific and measurable. When you make specific goals, it is easier to track your success (or setbacks) and keep yourself on track. You need to give numbers, amounts, and goal posts. For example: “I will do THIS…THIS MANY TIMES…by THIS DATE.”
Write them down. Goals that aren’t written down are just wishes. Post them in your office, hang them in the bathroom or showcase them on your rear-view mirror. Make sure they are written down and visible all year long.
Ask for help. Sometimes it’s hard to go it alone, so ask for support…from your partner, child, teacher, doctor, boss or friend. Others keep us inspired and enthusiastic about accomplishing our goals. Post your intention on Facebook, tweet it to your followers or seek out folks with like-minded goals online. Having people to share your struggles and successes with makes your journey to a healthier lifestyle that much easier.
Do it now. If you’re waiting for a more convenient time to begin behavioral change, it won’t happen. It’s almost never convenient to change ingrained habits. Now is as good a time as any. If you begin now, you’ll have a jump on a more satisfying future.
Allow for imperfection. No one is exactly on target all the time. Remember that minor missteps when reaching your goals are completely normal and OK. If you falter, learn from your mistake and move on. And most of all, be gentle with yourself.