My 2020 Goals and Resolutions
It’s the end of a decade and the start of a new year. While it’s not necessary to wait till January 1st to create new goals and habits, many of us do. So, in the spirit of the new year, here’s my list of goals and resolutions and ways I plan on keeping them.
My Goals
Workout
Eat healthier
Drink water
Read more
Put into savings
Give to church
Use less plastic
Learn Spanish
Just listing out what you want to accomplish in the coming year gives us a great starting point. I love lists. Lists help me organize my life and put in writing the trajectory I’d like to see myself moving in. Even better if I can cross items off at the end of the day. However, New Year’s resolutions aren’t quite that simple. Most of the time, we make resolutions that we hope will last throughout the year, and we may not see the results until the end of the year or even into the next year. So how can we stay motivated and on track to keep our goals throughout the entire year?
~ I love lists ~
My biggest tip is to find your ‘why.’ Why do you want to accomplish the goals you set for yourself? For example, I want to learn Spanish this year. Why? Because I want to take a trip to Spain. If you don’t have a ‘why’ or you don’t actually believe in your ‘why’ it will be so much harder to self-motivate yourself to maintain the habits that will help you achieve your goals. Do you want to workout so you can be skinny like the Instagram models you follow or is it because you know there are long-term health benefits and you want to feel your best, not just look like someone else? Once you have a ‘why’ you believe in, making your goals happen will be more desirable and easier to attain.
“When you write goals, you should be mindful that what you’re striving for is measurable, clear, and reachable.”
The second tip is to set S.M.A.R.T. goals. I recently picked up Stop Self-Sabotage by Dr. Judy Ho and this is the first practical, applicable tip she gives on, well, not self-sabotaging your goals. So what are S.M.A.R.T. goals? These are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic, and Time-related. So let’s go back to my list and re-write it as a S.M.A.R.T. list.
My S.M.A.R.T. Goals
Workout 4-5 times a week, following this new workout program
Eat healthier - cut back on sugar, carbs, alcohol, soda, sodium, and dairy
Eat a fruit and vegetable each day
Drink at least 80 fl. oz. of water a day
Read 1 book a month or 30 minutes a day
Put $ into savings each paycheck before making any purchases
Give to church - set up auto-pay for $ each month
Bring reusable produce bags and grocery bags to every grocery store
Finish 3 lessons of Spanish on Duolingo a day
Now, I haven’t finished the book yet, but I do know that giving your goals a ‘why’ and tangible means of attaining them has a huge impact in how effective you will be in keeping your goals for the entire year. So get your ‘why’ and write down your plan and let’s make 2020 the best year yet!
What are some of your 2020 resolutions? Leave some comments below.