Every New Year people set goals in hopes that they can create a better lifestyle. We start the year filled with motivation and hope that we will finally keep our goals we have set for the New Year. However, a month or 2 later we stopped pursing our goals once again as we did in years past. How can we finally stick to our New Year’s goals and resolutions? Some may say easier said than done. It really isn’t as difficult as some may think. If you set guidelines and follow them you will soon see yourself achieve all the goals and keep all the resolutions you have set for yourself.

Below are a few tips you can follow to help you keep your resolutions and reach your goals.

• Don’t just think it, Ink it: Write down your goals. When we write things down we can see them and they become real. It’s no longer a thought. As we reach those goals cross them off the list. It will give you a feeling of achievement seeing you reached the goal. Hang the list where you can see it every day. Unless you write down your goals, they will often get lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

• Timeline: Set a time table, deadline for when you want to reach the goals on your list. For example; by February 28th I lost 10lbs. This creates a deadline to get you motivated to work on your goals and stay focused.
• Be specific: Define your goals by being as specific as you can. Specific means something that would be clear to anyone else. For example; I will become healthy by losing 20 lbs, eating a healthy diet, and exercising 1 hr daily. Not specific: I’m going to lose weight.
• Chunk time: Set time apart every day to work on a specific goal. For example, your goal is to finally clear the clutter out of the closet. Set 30 minutes every day to work on that goal. Working at it every day will help you reach the goal.
• Find your “Why”: Ask yourself why you want to reach this goal? What will you gain? Once we create a “Why” for our goals we tend to stick to then. For example; I want to lose 20 lbs. Why? I want to lose 20lbs because I will become healthier and will be able to see my children and grandchildren grow up.
• Be sure they are your goals: Don’t let your family’s, friend’s or society’s expectations dictate your ambitions and goals. Many people set goals that they think they “should” have, rather than what they truly want for themselves. If your goals don’t come from your heart, you will not work hard to reach those goals.
• State in the “I am”: State in the first person (present) such as I am, instead of I want. For example, if you write a goal like “I want to lose 30lbs,” you will only create more of that outcome which is wanting to lose 30lbs. If you say and write down I am 30lbs lighter by March 1st  you will creative power will work on producing that goal. Declare it and make it happen.

When setting resolutions and goals, subtle and seemingly inconsequential adjustments transform wishes and hopes into results. Happy New Year! May this be the year you create unlimited possibilities.