Almost half the year has passed, which is a good time to assess if you’re keeping up with your new year goals.
As a new year approaches, we see it important to set goals so that when the year ends we have some sense of accomplishment. And we usually start out hot and heavy, whether it’s going to the gym, eating healthier or some other activity necessary to achieve our goals but somehow as the middle of the year rolls around, we tend to fall back into our old ways .
Why does this happen? Mostly because we get caught up with life and fall back into our comfort zones. The sad reality is that only a small percentage of people who make their new year’s resolutions actually follow through with them. For the rest of us, it might take receiving bad news about our lifestyles to force us into making necessary changes.
Please refer to my first article on this subject (“How to achieve your #newyeargoals”) and bear in mind that goals in general will only be achieved if they are necessary, achievable and realistic. We often fall into the trap of creating goals that are either unnecessary or unrealistic. When setting goals you should list them in order of priority and put a timeline to each goal. So you can have short-term, mid-term and long-term goals. Let’s look at some examples:
Eating healthier: This doesn’t mean that you have to give up fried chicken or hamburgers but it’s important to adopt an everything in moderation attitude. Incorporating more veggies and fruits into your diet and eating less saturated fat and foods high in sugars will do wonders for you and believe me when I say that your body will thank you for it.
Getting more exercise: Everyone wants to have a ‘rocking bod’ but don’t be fooled by the quick fixes you see on the internet and TV. Getting into shape takes time and effort and you will only see results if you are willing to put in the work. Gym is certainly not for everyone but there are other forms of exercise that are just as fun and effective, like dancing, swimming, jogging or playing a sport. Your body will feel better and you will eventually see the results.
Spending less and saving more: While there’s nothing wrong with treating ourselves from time to time, sometimes being a little frugal and budgeting yourself can go a long way. Apart from saving for a nice car and/or home, one should always have enough money saved in the case of an emergency.
Self improvement: There’s never a downside to self improvement. Whether you’re thinking of furthering your studies to get a better job or are simply doing it for self satisfaction, more knowledge never hurts!
Don’t wait to receive bad news about your health, finances or job prospects to set your goals . Once your goals are realistic, achievable and necessary, finding the motivation to go after them will be second nature.
