Reaching Your Goals in 2018
Thinking about giving up on those resolutions yet? Haven't made any but do have goals you're working on? Or maybe you're gung-ho on your resolutions but wouldn't mind a little advice to keep you going. Well, wherever you’re at, read on because this information just might give you a little nudge or help you round out what you're already doing.
- Be SMART. Use the old acronym and make sure your goal is Specific (eg. "eat 3 servings of veggies a day" instead of "eat healthier"); Measurable (if you want to feel more peace in your life, use a scale, say from -5 to +5 and rate your peaceful feelings along this scale); Achievable (eg. maybe start with being able to say a sentence in Spanish before attempting to be fluent); Relevant (you’re more likely to stick to your goal if it can be applied in a meaningful way to your life); and Time-Dependent (you need to decide to lose that 15 pounds by a specific date, say 4 months from now, instead of just having ‘lose 15 pounds’ as your goal).
- Support. There are many ways to make sure that you’re supported as you set out on your adventure to achieving your resolution(s), and the best advice is to use as many of these ways as possible. Get a workout partner, use a journal, find an online forum you can vent with, and get some natural medicine. Really, you say, natural medicine? Absolutely! Chiropractic care, physiotherapy, massage, acupuncture, naturopathy, osteopathy and the rest of what we offer at Yellow Gazebo (including psychotherapy if you want to talk about your goals) can help keep you healthy and balanced. And you’ll find that a healthy mind and healthy body can be the best support you need on your (sometimes difficult) road to change.
- Small Steps. No great thing was ever achieved easily, and if you’ve decided on something important you want in your life, then be prepared to take every little step necessary. And that might mean learning to breathe better before attempting to resolve conflict quickly, or it might mean just cutting out fried foods before going super-strict on your diet. Be prepared to do some small steps, and be prepared to be patient.
- Fail. That’s right, if you haven’t failed at what you’re trying to get done, then go ahead and fail at it right away. Once you’ve got that out if the way, go at it again, fail again, and repeat the process. The more times you can get back up again and keep trying, the closer you’ll eventually get to your goal. If you want to save $500 in the next month and only get to $400, remember that had you not set a goal at all, you would have had a lot closer to nothing than that $400. And maybe the following month you will hit your goal, and you’ll be $900 further along than if you’d never tried.
These few tips are by no means the end of what you need to know. Get out there and read a book, listen to a podcast, do whatever it is you can think of. Because ultimately, the more obsessed you are about getting your goal achieved, the more likely you'll achieve it. Good luck!
