Ask 'Why?' of Your Resolutions; Keep Chipping Away
By Erin Peters
We have already wrapped up one full month (and some change) in 2021! Time is such a bizarre thing right now. In your life, you might feel like time is moving at a snail’s pace, or that it’s flying by and we are losing so much of our “normal” time. You might even feel a combination of both. For me, I feel like the beginning of the pandemic was just a minute ago, but also that a LOT has happened in that time.
Checking In
Find ways to make your goals attainable by changing them or your approach.
After 31 days into the new year, how are your resolutions or goals going? If you stuck with it for a week or two and then dropped it, think about why that is. Was your goal realistic? Attainable? Too strict? Too vague? Write down your goal (or goals) from the start of the year. Now think about how you can adjust, modify, or find accountability to get it done. You can even pick a completely new goal to focus on. Try not to get hung up on the details. What is the big-picture goal you’re working on? Create some steps for how you’ll get there, and chip away at it.
If you didn’t set intentions or goals for the new year, you still can! It’s not too late to think about something you want to accomplish, be better at, or start. There’s no time limit on when to start being your best self. These goals are for you, and they don’t have to be a specific “New Year’s resolution.” Make it your own!
Giving Yourself Grace
Mountains are not climbed in a day. Don’t let the destination overwhelm the joy of the journey. Learn what works, and more importantly, does not work for you in achieving your goals.
If you’ve read any of my previous articles, you’ll notice that this is a theme in most of them. You should never get to a point where you feel guilty for making a mistake. This guilt can manifest into restrictions, purging, anxiety, and defeat. If you had a goal to eat healthier and you get Burgerville takeout, you should not feel guilty. Instead, the next day think about how you can actively make a healthier choice. Having a treat or enjoying something that is less healthy is not a bad thing. If your resolution was to read every night, but instead you went to Sunshine Mill Winery to enjoy a glass (or two) of wine one night, don’t beat yourself up. Life is too short to get hung up on the details or to get upset for enjoying the journey. Whenever you feel that you made a slip-up, have a mantra ready to go. For me it’s, “It’s okay to (insert task that you feel some “guilt” about) sometimes. Tomorrow I will (insert task that I want to work toward).” Your mantra might look different, but write it down and practice saying it out loud. Humans make mistakes every day, multiple times a day. Don’t sweat the small stuff, and enjoy life.
Being in the Present
Focus on what you're doing with your time right now and enjoy the moment. Stay present, stay focused, and stay healthy.
If you are a planner, or get hyper-focused on your goals, living in the present can be tricky. Maybe you are looking to make a career change or look for a new employment opportunity. This is a huge task. It can be really overwhelming to try to think so far ahead. Living in the present can help us all out. Creating steps to get started can help alleviate some of the stress you may be feeling if you are planning too far ahead. During a global pandemic, we have to live in the present more than ever! Too often I find myself trying to plan for things after we are back to “normal.” While that can be exciting to think about, it’s hard to plan for something that isn’t here yet. So I try to focus on what I’m doing with my time right now and enjoy the moment. Stay present, stay focused, and stay healthy.
