The Best Way To Crack Your New Year’s Resolutions

Every year on or before New Year, people make resolutions, only to fail (or never start) and to be disappointed by their efforts.

Here’s the truth: Your goals are not too big and your dreams are not too fanciful. The approach is off, that is all!

For the purpose of this article, let’s say: your goal is to start going to the gym in 2023. Your resolution might sound like:

“I’ll go to the gym in 2023.”

What this NY-Res doesn’t have is Any of the vital ingredients! Listed here is a ̶s̶u̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶f̶a̶s̶t̶ reasonably fast way to turn this goal into reality:

Ask yourself - Does it really matter? Write down 10 things that are most important to you in this life. If it’s not on the list, maybe it’s not that important to you. It could be a case of letting it go. Releasing it. If it is in the top 10 or connected to achieving something in the top 10, continue reading …

Mindset - Change your mindset change your life. This has two parts. Discuss with yourself in your own mind these concenpts:

1. It’s nobody else’s responsibility but yours to fullfill this dream.

2. What am I doing that is stopping me from achieving my goals?

You know instinctively the feelings/answers to these. Let that sit for a while. Don’t beat yourself up! Just consider the thoughts. You’re now ready for the next steps…

Bite size reminder - We don’t learn by reading the whole book in a day. We read two pages and assimilate the info. This, like everything else will take time. That’s ok. If the goal is to go to the gym it doesn’t have to be to go 7 days a week for 3 hours per time. That’s too much. Recomended exercise is: 30 mins 3 times per week. That’s 90 mins. Thats just 18 minutes, five days per week. You can do this.

Find the 'why' - Print actual images of what you want, not what you are.

If you want to lose weight, don’t depress yourself by focussing on what you are or how you look now. That’s negative.

The law of attraction states: what you think about, you bring about. Print those pics of your ideal weight, & stick them on a mirror.

Keep screenshots on your phone wallpaper so you see it every day.

Ask yourself: what does that person do? What does their daily life look like?

Mirroring steps can be helpful.

Preparation - You can book the gym now, it’s easy and you don’t have to go. Visit the gym, ask staff to show you equipment on a trial 15 min day, say you only have 15 mins if need be.

This removes any pressure and sets you up for confidence in the knowing the layout in the future.

Remove the fear. It’s not scary, it’s just new.

Treat yourself positively - There is no reward for going, the reward is the outcome. An example of this may be treating yourself in preparation by buying nice sportswear that you Feel comfortable in.

Not cookies after the gym.

That defeats the object! 'Looking forward' can also be to treat yourself positively.

If the thought of going to the gym is boring, look forward to something else you can do While at the gym.

I often don’t want to go for a run, but I enjoy listening to music, so I listen to my music on my run. This uplifts me and motivates me to run more.

Speak it into existence - Tell everybody: “Monday I’m going to the gym.”

Your brain believes what you tell it, (scientifically proven fact.)

Starting space - Start small.

Saying: “I’ll do 15 mins every day” is a huge pressure to place on yourself.

“I’ll go 15 mins per day on *Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday" is more acheievable and that's 45 minutes per week. Thats almost an hour increase per week from 0.

You can build on time once you’ve got the routine of going.

Generally speaking, people have more energy at the start of the week. So *these may be the best days for you to go. Do what works for you.

Routine - change your routine to accommodate your new goal.

If nothing changes, nothing changes.

We all have to “make space” for new energy to enter our lives.

Accountability - This is not about texting a friend to say “I didn’t go to the gym” and the friend texting back saying: “Don’t worry I didn’t go to the gym either, who cares.”

This is detrimental. Friends and family members have different goals.

Your dreams are Yours.

Accountability is: what can I DO that makes me feel accountable?

Motivational videos are a great prompt for this. Drink a coffee and watch a 5 minute motivational video on the subject of your choice.

Reinforcement - Every time you do something eg go to the gym, remind yourself how powerful you are.

Say to yourself: “we’re going to the gym alone, to take an exercise class with strangers and that is completely overwhelming for most people but we are doing it." Insert your name here: “____ you’ve got this!” And tell yourself that how ever many times you need to.

Don’t rely on others - They will most likely, unintentionally let you down.

People have their own lives to manage. Managing life is work for all of us. Your goals can never be dependent on the help of others. It has to come from you. Don’t let this thought get you down.

You’re doing something For you, which is great! Keep going!

Plan B - Where possible, have a plan B.

If plan A doesn’t work, what is plan B? How will you execute this? What steps are required? If the gym is closed, is this a 30 minute walk? Is it an ‘at home workout’ or a HIIT for just 10 minutes. Know your backup plan!

Remind yourself - When you don’t want to do the thing it is you’re trying to do: changing habits is hard.

We don’t start things and not finish them. The hardest part is showing up.

If you have to go to the gym (or anywhere) and you arrive and workout for 2 minutes that’s better than nothing. 1 lap in the pool is better than nothing.

No one is watching - often people don’t do things because they fear judgement. Trust me when I say that no one else cares!

They’re too busy focussed on their own life.

Weird ways - I passed exams by sticking post-it’s all over my house. Anything is possible!

Some people sleep in their gym clothes so when they wake they’re ready to go.

Leaving your phone on the other side of the room, so you have to get up to switch off the alarm in the morning, works for others.

You know yourself, you know what will and won’t work. Do that.

In the cards - If you'd like guidance to see what's coming up for you and what may be best to work on at this partcular moment, book your tarot reading here today.