It never fails. Another new year approaches. You watch that ball drop in Times Square and you say to yourself, "This year it's going to be different. This year I'm going to make things happen. Look out world here I come!"
But something happens on the way to paradise. The goal setting fell by the wayside. The health, financial, and spiritual targets you set for yourself on January 1 seemed a distant memory by Groundhog Day, and life's inevitable hectic pace seemed to once again get in the way of your self improvement priorities.
Why does this happen to so many well meaning people at a time of year when we should be focused on bigger and better things for ourselves? It could be that we are biting off more than we can chew. This year, let's try some New Years resolutions that are within our reach. For 2005, try some bite size, easy to digest goals that are still ambitious, but entirely do-able.
For instance, if you don't get any exercise and want to finally get in shape, don't run out and join a health club or buy a treadmill. Instead, set a bite size resolution to do 10 push ups, 15 situps and 20 jumping jacks every morning, and go for a 15 minute walk three times a week, assuming your doctor approves of course.
Looking to lose weight? Instead of changing your whole diet or lifestyle all at once, why not shoot for cutting down on the sugar or some other aspect of your current eating habits that you know is a culprit, and set your sights on losing just a pound or two every week, then focus on sticking with it. This will be easier after one or two weeks of success.
Financially, if you are in debt, don't try to pay down everything at once, which could result in throwing off your budget for months. Instead, pick the debt with the highest interest rate first and make a bite size resolution to start paying it off quicker than you have in the past. Then commit yourself to sticking to it by visualizing the end result of being debt free.
Spiritually, if you want to become a better person in the eyes of God, don't try to become a saint in one fell swoop. Instead, pick some bite size goals of doing, saying and being the right things in small steps, one day at a time. Be more tolerant. Don't talk about others' shortcomings. Stop holding grudges. That's enough for now. Over the long haul you'll start feeling better about yourself, which will snowball into something phenomenal.
The reason why most people don't stick to their new years resolutions is that there are too many of them, and most of them are too aggressive. This year, step back from the buffet and don't overload your plate with resolutions and commitments that may be counterproductive. Pick a few bite size goals to reach for yourself that are real, measurable and that you'll stick to. When you find yourself attaining these goals you'll be energized to tackle the bigger ones in your life. Then watch the magic happen.
Andy O'Bryan is Co-Founder of AudioMotivation.com, the personal and professional self improvement website featuring exclusive interviews with motivational speakers, life coaches best selling authors. For more information on becoming a member, log on to http://www.AudioMotivation.com.
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