Why You Should Start Your New Years Resolutions Now
Don’t get me wrong. I totally get that New Year’s resolutions can be clarifying and flipping to a new calendar year can be super motivating. But WHY should we have to wait until the end of the year, when we’re totally pooped from the holiday season, to start working toward what we want?
Don’t wait until the year’s end to start setting your goals, start now! It gives you time to pivot. Everyone talks about their New Year's resolutions come January and if you join in on that talk, you might feel compelled to continue on with things that simply aren't working for you. Doing it early gives you time to figure out if your goals are really what you want to focus on in the coming year. If you really want to lose weight in 2022, do you really want to pack on the pounds at the end of 2021?
Also, starting on your new goals early for next year gives you time to start slowly. The truth is that cold turkey isn't fun nor is it sustainable. You're not a light switch and you can't simply turn your habits on and off. You need time to be able to slowly ease into your desired changes, which makes starting now a great idea!
It doesn't have to be January 1st in order to set things in motion. Let's be real, how many years have you made New Year's resolutions on New year's Day only to have them fizzle out by Valentine's Day? No judgment, we've all been there, but you may want to find a different approach to really meet your goals this time. When you start early on your goals for next year, you're getting a head start on results. It's OK if it takes time to get in the swing of things.
Set aside some time to do some daydreaming and goal planning. What do you really want in your life? What would your perfect 2022 look like? From there, set your macro goals. These are the big goals that might take you a year to knock out. Dream as big as you want,
Once you have your macro goals written out, it’s time to start figuring out how you’re going to accomplish them. Basically, that means taking your big goals and breaking them down into little, bite-sized pieces.
"Ultimately, there's nothing magical that happens on January 1 at 12:01 a.m.," says psychiatrist and life coach Bergina Isbell, M.D. "You could wake up today and say, 'Enough is enough: I don't want to live like I lived yesterday." If you can get in touch with those personal needs and make a decision based on them, you'll be ready to shift your mindset and finally crush your goals.