Why you should ditch New Year’s Resolutions?
This is the traditional time of year, where people will make the usual mistake of setting New Year’s Resolutions and here is the thing, they do not work!
Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane to exactly 12 months ago, what resolutions did you set then, how did you go with them and how long did they last?
Unless you set your resolutions as goals, they will not be achieved. How can you ensure that you follow through on these New Year’s goals then?
Firstly, I would encourage you to write them down, this will ensure that you get clear on what you want to achieve. The act of writing things down, enables a higher level of processing your thoughts.
Importantly share your goals with others, so you can be held accountable and have them clearly displayed as a daily reference and make sure they are SMART goals.
How do you create your SMART goals?
Specific – when planning your goals be as specific as possible, break it down into steps if required, so the goal is not too large or too general. What, where, who, why, which etc?
Measurable – as you work towards your goal it is vital that you can measure your progress, how will you know when you have it? What will you feel, what will it look like?
Attainable – goals should be realistic and not too easy and not too difficult to achieve, too easy and you should simply put them on a to-do list, too hard and you will give up easily.
Relevant – whilst goals should be realistic, they must be relevant to what you want to achieve. Training and education maybe required, is someone else doing what you want to do?
Timely – have a timeframe planned to reach your goal, this gives you motivation and keeps you accountable. Without a timeline in mind your goal will simply be a wish!
So, with that in mind, what plans do you have for the new decade?
If you are thinking of health goals, wanting to lose weight, get fit, eat healthier … it is easier to break these down into 30-day time frames. A 30-day time frame for many goals will give you the opportunity to create new habits in a short manageable period of time.
When you want to break a bad habit, make this 100-days, to ensure that the pattern and hold of past behaviours, have absolutely been broken.
My first goal for 2020, is to give up sugar for 30 days, which is much easier than planning to do it for a whole year. I think that my diet is fairly healthy, however examining the food labels in the last few days has opened my eyes very wide, into just how much sugar is in the food that we consume. I expect it in sauces, but not savoury foods … so I am learning a great deal currently.
To track my progress, I am taking before measurements: weight, left and right upper arm circumference, left and right thigh circumference, waist and hip measurements, then I will remeasure at the end of my 30-day challenge.
I have told others what I am doing, so I am held accountable and I am doing it with my daughter, so I have company. Challenges are always better when you have others taking them with you.
I do hope that you enjoy planning your SMART goals for the new decade, as for me, I am off to start preparing my vegetables for dinner!
If you would like to chat about what is going on in your cycle right now, please book in for your FREE introduction call … https://ivfcoachingclinic.as.me/intro
Kind Regards,
Sophia Baseotto
Fertility Specialist Scientist & Coach