My name is Ali Sharifi and I’ve been showing people how to relieve stress for over a decade. How many times have you told yourself that this new year you’re going to finally lose that weight or finally stop smoking or look for a better job? How often do you carry over previous resolutions from one year to the next? Most people come up with a long wish list of things to improve on and try as hard as possible to make them a reality during the year. The dilemma is that not even a month goes by before you’ve already forgotten about most of your goals and are back to your old habits again. There are a few simple things you can do though, to help you stick to your plan.
– Be Realistic –
The number one reason we fail to accomplish our New Year’s resolutions is that we tend to set unrealistic goals. Wanting to lose two hundred pounds and become filthy rich and get organized and quit smoking all at once probably isn’t going to work. To stick to your goals, you should pick one or two really important things you want to work on and focus only on those, instead of trying to trying to do everything together in one year. Also, make sure your goal is actually doable. If you have a heart condition and are in awful shape and your goal is to compete in a triathlon before the end of the year, you may be extremely disappointed. This is not to say that you can’t set challenging goals that test you physically and mentally. It is just important to be honest with yourself in regards to what you can and can’t accomplish. You don’t want to set yourself up for failure.
– Be Specific –
The next big concern is that most of our goals aren’t specific enough. While it may be the norm to write “lose weight” on your New Year’s resolution list, this doesn’t tell you anything about how much weight or how you’re going to make it happen. To make your resolution more effective, you ought to be specific about exactly what you want to accomplish. A much better resolution may be “to lose 1 pound a month throughout the year,” or “to go to the gym at least twice a week before work.” The more specific you are about your goal, the easier it will be to accomplish.
– Be Task Oriented –
It’s fine to want to lose weight, but how are you going to make it happen? I can almost guarantee you that the weight’s not just going to melt off of you on its own. So, what do you need to do to make this goal a reality? For each resolution you have on your list, you want to write at least 10 action items that you must do to accomplish your goal. Here is a sample list to help you get started.
Resolution: “Lose 1 pound a month throughout the year”
To Do List:
1. Make an appointment to see a nutritionist (February 1st)
2. Get a physical check-up from your doctor (February 5th)
3. Join the gym (February 6th)
4. Make an appointment to see a physical trainer (February 7th)
5. Begin going to the gym twice a in the morning (February 11th)
6. Join a kick boxing class (February 18th)
7. Eat no more than XXXX calories per day based on recommendation by nutritionist (daily)
8. Eat more small meals throughout the day, instead of 2-3 big meals (daily)
9. Take doctor approved vitamins and supplements (daily)<
10. Walk wherever you need to go instead of driving and taking elevators (daily)
11. Get some small dumbbells and a short workout video that I can do at home on days I can’t go to the gym. (daily)
This is just a sample of course and make sure to check with a doctor and other healthcare professional before starting any new program (See how I just snuck the disclaimer in there). So, I need to point out a few things. First, notice that there are dates next to a lot of the tasks. This is a good idea because it helps you set smaller goals as part of your larger objective that are easier to accomplish and very tangible. Also, there is a wonderful feeling that comes with being able to check off one item after another as you progress towards fulfilling your resolutions. Second, notice that each item is fairly specific. Some of them are simple one-time action items, while others may be ongoing, but they are all very action oriented. By breaking down your resolution into more easily achievable chunks or sub tasks, you are getting a lot closer to success. As you progress, make sure to keep updating the plan and adding more items to it.
– Be Strong –
One of the reasons people quit doing their resolutions is that they don’t adequately foresee the obstacles they may face along the way. Try to come up with a list like the following:
1. My co-workers always go out to lunch to unhealthy places and I might want to join them.
2. My family eats unhealthy foods, so it’ll be difficult to get healthy meals at home.
3. The gym is far from my house, so it takes a long time to get my workout done.
4. I really crave chocolate and don’t think I can remove it form my diet.
5. I’m out of shape so working out may be difficult for me.
Once you’ve finished the list, take a look at each issue and come up with a plan for how you will overcome each one. It is of paramount importance that you figure out possible solutions to each of these obstacles, otherwise you’ll end up becoming a victim of one of them. It’s also important to realize that life is filled with unforeseen challenges and it’s rare to be able to complete a difficult goal without falling down a few times along the way. Perseverance is the key here. You’re taking a big step to accomplish a big task, and that requires strong, continued commitment.
– Be Forgiving –
You won’t always succeed on the first try. As soon as you realize that you’ll most likely have some good days along with some not so good ones, you can stop beating yourself up when you’re in a slump. Forgive yourself when you stray off the path and find ways to encourage yourself to get right back on. Blaming or feeling negatively towards yourself will only make matters worse and make it harder to finish what you so boldly started. Instead, figure out what got in your way and come up with a revised plan of action to achieve your goal.
– Be Happy! –
This is the most important thing to remember. All that we do in life is pointless if we’re not happy. If you’re finding it painful doing your resolution, you’ll not only find it more difficult to stick to, you’ll also build up more resentment towards it. This in turn, will make you even less likely to ever finish the goal. Of course, some times we have to do something for health reasons that may seem terrible in the short term, but that will bring happiness at a later time. I believe strongly that to accomplish anything in this world, you have to have the right attitude. Life is short and you should choose resolutions that will enhance your life by making you healthier and happier.
As the Vulcan saying goes, “Live long and prosper.”
Ali Sharifi has been teaching practical stress relief, relaxation, and meditation techniques for well over a decade. You can check out his blog and free report for the very best stress relief techniques. The blog is filled with free articles, exercises, meditations and more.
For vital info in the sphere of body weight exercise – make sure to study this web site. The time has come when concise information is really within your reach, use this chance.
