Besides fireworks, parties and a big cheer when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, one of the things that stand out for a lot of people is making New Year’s Resolution, and remembering those which we promised to do in previous years and have still not been able to achieve them.
Don’t let this year be a wasted opportunity to achieve more. Make a promise to yourself to take this New Year’s Resolutions seriously – and to achieve every single one of them.
What your New Year’s Resolution says about you
New Year’s Resolution and dreams can be very telling – they usually expose hidden gifts, passions and verve within us. Things that we may have buried deep or put on the back burner last year and many years before it. Whether it’s to lose weight, learn to swim or start a business venture when your New Year’s Resolution are clearly expressed you are much more likely to achieve them.
What do you wish to do, see, achieve and go through in 2011? How do you want to feel by 31st December 2011? Be honest with yourself and put pen to paper. Then reprioritise your goals so they reflect the life you wish to live.
New Year’s Resolutuins can help you determine your life goals.
What type of lifestyle do you want for you and your family? Write down your goals for the next 10 years then break them down to five years, one year and then one month. Now prioritise them.
Break every goal into tasks that have to be accomplished. For instance, if you want to be debt-free within the next two years, you may decide to arrange a budget, spend less than you bring in and refinance your mortgage to take down your monthly payment, for example. All of those things you need to do to achieve your goal of being debt free are subtasks.
Make a to-do list
They may seem like a chore, but writing a to-do list can be a fantastic aide when trying to accomplish your life goals. Once you’ve separated your goals into accomplishable tasks, integrate those tasks into your to-do list and cross them off, one at a time.
Keep on top of your goals and reprioritise them
Recap and reprioritise your goals on a regular basis to stay on top when things in your life change. You might find that your goals alter over time, or that particular objectives get put on hold while you work at others – that’s fine, but you must keep a record of what you are doing and what you are achieving.
Get your family involved in your New Year’s Resolutions
If your goals might affect your family you need to get them involved in the planning process. Let your children know what you are doing and why you want to achieve your goal. Where possible, make them feel involved, too, by listening to what they think about your plans. If your objective is to spend more time together as a household, for example, and one answer is for you to work part-time, ask loved ones what they’d be willing to give up to acquire more time with you. You may be surprised.
Make an honest commitment to achieve your New Year’s Resolutions
Commit to following through with your plan of action. You’ve already gone farther than most. You may also reward yourself for achieving each milestone on your New Year’s Resolution list – this can help to motivate yourself to do and achieve more.
