Go from Resolution to Lifestyle Change

As we've discussed, many resolutions fail. We've all experienced the excitement of setting a new intention, only to have it fizzle out over the next several weeks or months. I've shared with you some ways to fight this tendency and overcome it by setting SMART goals. I've also given you a number of tips for maintaining your motivation. In today's blog post, I want to share one of the most impactful strategies I know for staying on track with your desires. Let's talk about ways to go from resolution to lifestyle change. Implementing new habits into your life can lead to lasting change and can be far more effective in the long run. I'll show you how.  

Start Small 

Taking baby steps toward your goals is usually a smart strategy if you want to create habits that last. This philosophy should be applied across several different areas. First, be sure to choose only a couple of resolutions to start with. One or two is reasonable. You can always add more. This helps to keep things manageable and lets you focus on what's really important to you. Also, remain realistic. Shoot for small changes that you can incorporate into your daily life relatively easily. You can build upon these changes to create more impactful and larger habits gradually. Doing so will increase your chances of making them stick.  

Be Aware 

Know yourself and don't be afraid to get real honest about your challenges. Acknowledging and confronting weaknesses will help you to overcome them when implementing lifestyle change. It's also important to recognize your triggers if you want to crush your old, harmful habits and replace them with new ones. When we feel vulnerable or insecure, we're more likely to revert to what's comfortable for us. Recognizing that pattern is essential to breaking it.  

Seek Balance 

In order to make habits stick, you have to cut yourself some slack when you backslide and allow yourself some fun, as well. Going hard-core 24/7 toward that lofty goal is only going to lead to burnout. It's imperative that you find a balance that works for you, one that will keep you motivated and feeling satisfied with your progress, but that also gives you the leeway to take a break in order to rejuvenate yourself.  

These are some suggestions to get you started toward changing your mindset from facing one overwhelming resolution to making a number of small changes that lead to the creation of habits for life Once you incorporate these new habits into your daily routine on a regular basis, you'll soon wonder how you ever managed to get by without them.