3 Problems With New Year's Resolutions

Every year I tell myself I am going to do better and I make a slew of New Year's Resolutions.

My typical (yes, pretty much every year the list is the same) New Year's Resolutions:
*read scriptures every day
*save money
*keep the house clean
*eat healthier
*go to the gym
*go on weekly dates with my hubby
*have Family Home Evening every week
etc, etc, etc...

These all sound like great things to make me a better person, right? So why am I still pretty much the same person (in regards to these goals) as I was 5 years ago?  Do any of you have this problem? How do we make New Year's Resolutions that we are actually going to stick with?

Problem #1: too many habits to change at once!
Solution: make a list of habits to change and then only start 1 or 2 new habit(s)/goal(s) in January, and add another new habit/goal each subsequent month. For example, in January I am going to start reading my scriptures every day, in February I am going to continue with reading my scriptures every day and then add having weekly dates with my hubby. In March, continue with the first two goals and add another, and keep going until you have gone through your list.  Just don't try to do too much or you will get overwhelmed and then scrap everything.

Problem #2: one failed day means chucking the whole list!
Solution: Don't get discouraged if you miss a day or week (depending on the type of goal.) No one is perfect. The important thing is to recognize that you missed a day and get right back on it the next day. Calendars are great for keeping track of daily goals. Remember, too, that it takes 21 days to make a habit and only 1 day to break it (I have heard) so keep trying.

Problem #3: not setting SMART goals
Solution: In order for you to really achieve a goal, it needs to be a S.M.A.R.T. goal. I think most of us are familiar with this acronym yet we are still not using it as a guideline;

Specific-Measurable-Achievable-Realistic-Timely

Let's take the "save money" goal, for example. While saving money is achievable and realistic, it does not meet any of the other SMART criteria and is going to be difficult to accomplish.

Old goal: Save Money
SMART goal: Save $5 every week for 3 months.
Now I know how much I should be saving (specific) so I can measure if I am achieving this goal (measurable) plus it is realistic and achievable (hopefully I can save $5 every week!) and 3 months is both timely and measurable.

So while you are partying tonight with your Sparkling Cider and dancing shoes, start thinking about which SMART goal you want to start in January. Then stay tuned to find out which goals I am starting in January and my plans to achieve them...

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