Happy New Year! It’s the beginning of another year, and many of us are participating in the tradition of making “resolutions” about the things we’d like to change. Where there’s a lot of good in setting positive goals and pursuing personal growth and progress, it can be extremely discouraging to fall short of these goals if the pressure is too high. With that in mind, we wanted to share this excerpt from a helpful article from LifeHacker that offers some alternatives to the “New Year’s Resolution” model. If you’re in Northeastern Ohio and looking for more ideas about sustainable ways to make positive changes in 2017, please call us!
New Year’s resolutions have a high potential to fail, and that can make the end of every year a huge bummer instead of a celebration. Don’t stress over resolutions this year, and try these forward-thinking alternatives instead.
Set an Intention Instead of a Resolution
Resolutions are frustrating because they’re an “all or nothing” approach to accomplishing goals. But making positive changes in your life isn’t about the end result, it’s about the process. That’s why Jessica Estrada at Apartment Therapy is choosing to prioritize intentions over resolutions.
Intentions are about the present moment, not the shapeless, unknowable future. You stay focused on the how instead of on the pass or fail results. For example, if you want to lose weight, don’t set a goal like “lose 10 pounds.” Make your intention to be more active, or be more mindful of your nutrition. Each day you can ask yourself “How can I be more active than usual today?” Or “How can I eat healthier than I usually do today?” The change you’re after will follow. Plus, you’ll feel a lot less like a failure because you get a fresh start every day, and if you ever slip up or fall behind, you have the opportunity to forgive yourself and start new in the morning.