5 Tips in Setting Goals for the New Year

New Year, new YOU, right?! Then there's that little voice in the back of your mind taunting you, pressuring you to go back to your old ways because that's what you know...that's how you're wired. Be honest, how many times have most of us tried to re-invent ourselves and are disappointed that we've reverted back to old habits? I am guilty of it!

I have achieved some goals I'm proud of (i.e, my makeup work getting published in a few beauty and fashion magazines, public speaking, losing 30 lbs, getting this blog up and running, etc.)!  And with some of these achievements came losses (i.e. I gained back about 15 -20 lbs back of what I'd lost, I fell financially off-track, I accumulated a bunch of crap due to horrible spending habits, and so on).

It is something we all experience and it's a struggle. So, instead of putting the pressure on ourselves, why not call it New Year's GOALS instead of RESOLUTIONS? I thought back to behavior I practiced to achieve some goals in the past few years and came up with 5 tips I’m happy to share with you all...

Maui trip with the family in the summer of 2017

Tip #1: Create a Vision Board

Sometimes when I want a thought or a dream to come to fruition, I'll create something visually to help keep me motivated and, in turn, work toward it. 

You can have a physical board and cut out your favorite things from magazines and pin it up for constant inspiration or create online boards (as I did below) on Pinterest.  A constant goal we had in the past few years was to remodel our 1979 home as steadily as possible and we achieved much of it.  We constantly referred to boards to narrow down our styles and, of course, what to buy.  Granted it took a lot of time to get what we wanted but most everything that we fixed up turned out beautifully and we are confident we will at least get one of the two rooms done in the near future.

To have a visual helps keep things fresh in your mind and will motivate you to work for what you want - whether it's saving up for a trip of a lifetime, losing that last 10 lbs, or maybe working towards getting the house of your dreams. 

Tip #2: Set Attainable Goals

Meal Prep

To set goals that aren't too far-fetched is much easier than setting something unrealistic.  For example, saying you're going to take several trips in a year without the financial means to do so is pushing it.  Sometimes people can say such things and hope it comes to fruition but if you're not doing anything to help bring you closer to what you want, then there isn't really much to say but "good luck." 

Leisurely trips are fun too! This one, we're coming home from Europe!

Working on de-cluttering your home (for example) is achievable in many ways.  Separating your piles into needs and wants, usable vs. unusable, etc. then taking care of them by donating, tossing, and so forth feels so good that you may be inspired to be more efficient in other aspects of your life. 

Tip #3: Ease into It

To practice daily habits, I start off slowly until it becomes routine.  As I mentioned in my last tip (setting attainable goals)...if I'm going to say my goal is to lose 20 lbs in a month, I might as well be ready to welcome it back and more.  Now, this is a goal that can be attained in extreme conditions but is not advisable.  If you were to say that you could lose a pound or two a week, then that's something that could easily be done.  

On my fitness journey, I steadily lost 1-2 lbs a week!

You've heard that saying "slowly but surely"?  Well, it's 100% true.  Most things you want don't happen overnight - you earn what you want by hard work, consistency, and determination.  There are times you may fall off-track but no biggie...like the late Aaliyah sang, "Dust yourself off and try again." 

Tip #4: Hold Yourself Accountable

There's another saying I know to be very true - "outta sight, outta mind."  Keeping track of your progress can certainly hold you accountable for whatever it is you need to improve.  If you don't have or see anything to go off of, you'll naturally assume you're in the clear and there's nothing to really worry about.

Ava working the family financials ;-P

There are a few things I do to hold myself accountable - work with some type of support system (i.e. spouse, friends, work colleagues, etc.); write down/enter any reminders (due dates) or lists in a daily planner or phone; keep spreadsheets or trackers of some sort (e.g. for weight loss or financial records); unsubscribe/delete anything that may lure me back to my old ways (say, fast food coupons); and so forth.  Anything that I can see to remind me of where I'm at currently helps to keep me in check any time I am remotely close to falling off track.  

Tip #5: Avoid Comparisons

Just do YOU

This is definitely easier said than done and I'm not perfect at it.  Sometimes I see things and feel like a failure.  Because it's a social media world, we are inundated of images of beautiful people and/or seemingly unattainable (material) things, lifestyles, etc.  I'd like to believe most of these people have good intentions - you can usually tell if they don't and just want to brag - and really just want to share what makes them happy. 

I think choosing how you react to these images, status updates, (or what have you) determines whether you are setting yourself up for opportunity or failure.  This is probably a practice that is going to be on-going because of everyday life and what you encounter. After all, you can't control everything that happens to come your way.

Anything you see online or hear from television or direclty from other people...take it with a grain of salt.  Not everything you see or hear is as it seems - there are those that seem to want to share everything (but really only sharing parts of it) and there are those that only share the good stuff and keep the bad stuff private.  In all honesty, I tend to be the latter.  EVERYBODY struggles with something and experience highs and lows in different stages of their lives.  So might as well do things when you're good and ready.  If any one has anything remotely negative to say about where you're at in life, just know it's their problem and not yours.  Nothing you're doing is affecting them as profoundly as they're making it seem so do what you need to do and keep on.

Hopefully, my tips give you some motivation to achieve some of your 2019 goals and that you're doing it on YOUR own schedules.  There are outside factors beyond your control (i.e. life struggles, social media, natural disasters, etc) that constantly happen but learning to work around them is key to staying on track.  I'll be rooting for you!

~ XOXO, Mari