New Year, New Goals: Tips for Achieving Success in 2019

With the beginning of a new year comes the stress from the world to make resolutions, set goals to try and accomplish them in the next 365 days…do you succumb to the pressure? Or do you go with the flow and wake up and just keep rolling like any other day?

The following are Webster Dictionary definitions:

goal: the end toward which effort is directed

resolution: the act or process of resolving such as – the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones

Quite honestly, I’ve never picked the definitions apart before, but my interpretation would be that making resolutions really just means breaking down a big goal into the steps needed to achieve it. So that’s what I’m going to share with you. No matter what your goal, I think the following steps will all be helpful in helping you find success.

1.      Think positively

2.      Eat healthy and exercise daily

3.      Pray more/worry less

4.      Work hard

5.      Smile and laugh often

6.      Sleep well (ooh, boy that’s a tough one!)

While in no particular order, from the top down, this list challenges you to be physically, mentally and spiritually stronger. Are you still with me? Let’s break it down…

     Think positively: It’s so hard in the world we live into to stay positive all the time. After all, it seems the news is flooded with only the negative. But start small and watch your positivity grow. Here’s what I mean: instead of grumbling awake in the morning, be grateful for another day to spread love and joy. Instead of whining that you have to go to work, be thankful for the job that you have that helps pay the bills and provide for your family. When your day starts on a positive, it’s that much easier to keep it going. One of my favorite motivators is Shaun T. It won’t be easy, and it will take effort, but you’ve got this. I believe in you.

      Eat healthy and exercise daily: I know, I know. Like a lot of things on this list it’s easier said than done, but I can tell you from personal experience, I feel so much better about myself when I eat a healthy meal and work up a good sweat. You won’t realize just how good you DIDN’T feel, until you feel good 😊 That being said, we all have to start somewhere. And in order to take the first step, you must acknowledge and accept your starting point, knowing that it will take a lot of hard work and dedication to stay the course. Your head MUST be in the game! If you’ve struggled in this area, you’re not alone and don’t have to try and do it alone. I can help! With a little bit of planning, some discipline and motivation thrown in, we can tackle your goals. It won’t be easy, and it will take effort, but you’ve got this. I believe in you. 

      

Pray more/worry less: These two definitely go hand in hand. In my experience, the most freeing experiences for me have been when I do as my mom used to tell me “Just give it up to God.” If I’m being honest, I used to roll my eyes when she said this (Sorry, Mom!) Life isn’t that simple. Or is it? But as an adult, it has become more and more clear. There are so many things out of our control… we experience trials, heartache and setbacks all the time. And it’s in these times that God truly wants us to invite him into our struggle and wants to help us heal. So I invite you to try it. Lean into prayer and let Him work. We live in an instant gratification and ME ME ME world. Relinquishing control will not be second nature. One of my favorite resources when it comes to prayer is Blessed is She. I highly encourage you to check out their web site for more tips on intentional prayer!  It won’t be easy, and it will take effort, but you’ve got this. I believe in you.

      Work hard:  This one seems super self-explanatory. But one person’s definition of hard work doesn’t always match that of another. For me, working hard is giving your personal best. And if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll know whether you are or not. Whether at your job or at home with your kids… are you focused on the task at hand or is your mind wondering? Are you in the moment? When your head isn’t in it, your body won’t follow. So if you have to tackle a big project or you’re at home trying to get things crossed of your honey-do list, break it down into smaller chunks that will allow you to really stay focused. Delegation, when appropriate is also helpful! It won’t be easy, and it will take effort, but you’ve got this. I believe in you. 

     

Smile and laugh often:  This one seems like a no brainer – but honestly I take life too seriously sometimes. Not that I had an unhappy childhood, but I used to be painfully shy and rarely smiled. Looking back, I “ruined” a lot of family photos with my frowny/mad face. So when something is funny, laugh… laugh too hard sometimes. And smile at everyone you pass during your day. The smallest things in life, including a simple smile can go a long way in turning someone’s day around. I especially like to try and smile at the kiddos I see that are about the age I was when I was so grumpy 😊 Studies have shown that when WE smile it makes us happier, too, whether we force it or not (PsychologyToday) It won’t                                                       be easy, and it will take effort, but you’ve got this. I believe in you.

     

Sleep well: This one is a tough one for me. I’m terrible about putting down the phone and going to bed. We’ve all heard by now the negative effects that screen time right before bed has on our quality of sleep. So why don’t we listen? Does it really matter that my FB or IG feed has been refreshed and I’m up to date before bed? It’ll all be there the next day. So to help myself, and may I suggest to help you too if you struggle with this, don’t keep your phone on your bedside table. Move it to a different part of your room or another room all together. It’ll remove the temptation and force you to think about what you’re doing if you get up to check it. And we’re all adults and all getting older (ack) so take some responsibility and know what time you need to go to bed to get a restful night’s sleep. Even if that’s 8pm 😊 It won’t be easy, and it will take effort, but you’ve got this. I believe in you.

I hope you’ll take to heart these 6 steps… think about how you can apply them in your life to help you accomplish your goals for 2019. What steps will be the hardest for you? What actions will you take to help get the ball moving on them? I encourage you to find an accountability partner ( I know a great one 😉) who can help keep you honest and on track. I think we can all agree if we share our goals with others, we tend to work a little harder to reach them. It won’t be easy, and it will take effort, but you’ve got this. I believe in you. And I’m praying for you.