We’re now a few days into the new year and New Year’s Resolutions are underway! However, one important and overlooked aspect of resolutions is habit setting and goal tracking. Creating measurable goals is essential to ensuring success. Learning how to track those goals and stay consistent can provide the motivation needed to keep going!
In addition to the awesome goals you already have in place this new year, here are 5 things that you should definitely not be taking with you into 2021:
- Inconsistency
If you’re the type of person who puts off what you want/need MOST for what you want/need NOW, this one’s for you. Though life often demands we make some tough choices in regards to our time and energy, one way we can maintain control in terms of our priorities is to put our foot down and stand up for ourselves! Even if the person you’re standing up to is yourself.
If you want to lose weight this year, this means actually budgeting time in your day to get a workout in– and sticking to it. If you want to spend less time on social media, set screen time limits and actually abide by them!
What I’m doing: I’m using Notion this year as a habit tracker to keep up with the new habits that I want to form. There are tons of habit tracking apps, check some out!
2. Caring too much about other people’s opinions
This new year, free yourself. You will never be who God called you to be trying to live someone else’s life. If you’re constantly seeking others’ approval or trying to play by everyone else’s rules, you’ll find yourself either going too far or playing it way too safe.
Decide what you stand for. Decide who you stand for. Draw your own lines with wisdom. Empower trusted individuals in your life to speak up and offer critique and correction and listen to these voices above all the other noise.
3. Apologizing for being yourself
Piggybacking off of my last point, as soon as you start looking around and comparing yourself to other people’s standards, you start down the slippery slope of stomping all over your self-esteem. Do you want to know the first event at this pity party? Apologizing for being yourself.
2021 is the year that we are stepping into all that God has for us without holding back! When you come to understand who that person is behind closed doors, don’t let people mold you when you walk outside or log in to social media. Be you always and unapologetically. Stop adding caveats to your statements and qualifiers to everything you do. Just do it!
4. Not checking in with yourself (no quiet time)
As someone who is constantly talking to myself when I’m alone, I can’t imagine life without my daily staff meetings with Me, Myself, and I. But sometimes, I find that I’m doing a lot of talking to myself, and not a lot of listening. As fast paced as life is, take some time to just sit with your thoughts, however that looks for you.
If journaling helps you get all your thoughts in order, find you a cute journal and write it out. If taking a few minutes to sit on your bed and have a little self-check in before you lay down for the night works best, do that. But please… don’t go through this year ignoring yourself!
5. Not sticking to the plan!
If you’re reading this, you probably have a list of things you want to see improve in your life in 2021. If you do have a list but it doesn’t consist of actionable steps to help you reach these goals, you’re already setting yourself up for failure. BUT here’s where I’m going to stray from the typical “You-Got-This-New-Year’s-Resolution” spiel and tell you the truth.
Writing it all down will do nothing for you if you don’t stick to your own plan. That’s like turning on your GPS for a road trip and just choosing to ignore it! Do your absolute best to see your goals through this year. The world is anticipating a better you!
Grace Filled Gaps 