How to Actually Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions
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New Year’s Eve has passed, the ball has dropped, our resolutions are made, 2021 has begun. I love the New Year. There’s something about getting motivated to be better and to do better.
You know what I don’t love? February, March, maybe even mid-January when our motivation toward our new goals runs and hides. We’ve all been there - killing it the first few weeks then falling back into comfortability.
I’m here to shed some light on how we can keep our New Year’s resolutions. I believe this is just as important as making your resolutions in the first place. Here are five simple steps to kill it the whole year:
You’ve Got a Friend in Me
Support, support, support. I know this one is cliche and you’ve probably heard it a million times, but there may just be a reason that’s the case.
Trying to make some major dents in your debt, increase your retirement savings, actually use your gym membership? Team up with your spouse, a close loved one, a friend, literally anyone who will encourage you and check-in with you.
Whoever it is you choose, discuss how often they will check-in and return the favor. Teamwork makes the dreamwork, ya know.
All About the Progress Tracking
Want to run a faster mile? The first thing to do: actually time yourself at the start of your training. Trust me, I know this seems obvious. But, I’m sure we can all think back on a year (or years) where we never bothered to track our progress.
Let’s make this a priority this year. Grab a notebook, open up notes on your phone, and record. What’s your current debt balance? What’s your retirement contribution right now? How many times do you go to the gym each week? You get the point.
Listen! Don’t stop there. Weekly, monthly, quarterly, whatever it is record those same numbers. Nothing better than seeing your positive progress. Not so great progress can be just as powerful to motivate you.
Put It on The Calendar
We all know how time can magically slip away from us. Reoccurring self-evaluation and progress tracking is typically not something we put first on our list of to-dos.
Physically block out a time on your calendar (and add a notification) to sit down and check how you are doing with your resolutions. Take control of your time and your resolutions.
Patience is a Virtue
Think about it; typically, our resolutions are about reversing some bad habit we’ve had for years. If we’ve done (or not done) the same thing for months and months, we can’t expect to complete one-eighty with the snap of a finger. New habits take time. Patience needs to be our friend.
Consistency is key and it should be paired with patience. Start simple. Don’t try to change your life in one day. Accept good things take time and use that as your primary motivation to keep on keeping on. Patience can be a comforting companion.
2021 is a fresh page. I think we all appreciate the New Year just a little more this time around. Whether you have some major financial goals you want to tackle this year or you are just sick of falling into the same “resolution rut” each year, take these ideas with you: find support, track your progress, block out your calendar, and remember - patience is your friend.
I have the privilege to help people like you work toward their goals every day. It’s always New Year’s with me. Have questions about what financial strides to take? What investment accounts to utilize? Looking for opportunities to minimize your portfolio fees? I got you covered. I can be your support, help you track your progress, and remind you self-evaluation and patience are vital. Let’s start this New Year off right - together.
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