New year! New you?

I love the start of the new year. I’ll be honest, though, I love the start of anything. I love opportunities. I love possibilities. I love chances. I love choices.

When I was in my 20s, I did the whole new year’s resolution thing--only to realize that I was just jumping on the bandwagon. I always overshot my goals and after one little set back, I just quit.

So, as I learned more about myself and personal goals, I started to realize that my goals and resolutions can be started at any time. Is the start of the new year a great time to do it? Absolutely! There’s no question.

What I have found for myself, through observing others, and through personal development, is that new year’s resolutions typically don’t have solid action steps behind them, or they are too broad. Ie: “I’m going to get healthy!” “I’m going to lose weight!” “I’m going to do more self-care.” “I am going to be a better partner.” “I’m going to be a better parent.”

In the last few years, I have started to take opportunities throughout my year to set new resolutions and intentions. The reality is that we can start something new at any time.

My most successful outcomes have come from middle-of-the-year programs or changes in my life that were easy to follow, not necessarily easy to commit to, but the following was simple; and I had a reason for accomplishing them.

Parts of every single one of these programs has been integrated into my daily life.

Here are the ways that my goals have impacted my life:

1.     Off-season training for tennis and endurance sports- I move my body every day, in some way, to feel my most grounded and present.

2.     30-day nutrition plan program- I learned about how my gut health impacts me on multiple levels, and prioritize it.

3.     Ziva meditation- I meditate twice daily. I am more present, see better outcomes, and am more productive.

4.     Medical Medium Cleanse to Heal- My blood pressure is stabilized. I drink lemon water daily and use a liver rescue smoothie or bowl every morning for breakfast.

5.     75 Hard- This reaffirmed my commitment to movement and personal growth. I read every day to learn something new.

This year, I am not starting any “new” goals or resolutions, per se. However, I am going to take a new approach to addressing current goals that have not had a lot of traction. This approach is to use true goal-setting, as I have always done for my patients and clients. I am going to use SMART goals.

S- Specific

M- Measurable

A- Achievable

R- Realistic

T- Timely

For example:

New year’s resolution: I am going to be a better presenter.

SMART goal: I will use a louder volume, of 10 decibels higher, during three 10-minute presentations by February 15th.

New year’s resolution: I am going to work on my self-care.

SMART goal: I will workout from 6:00-6:30 in the morning, 20 times by January 31st.

New year’s resolution: I will be more grounded and present.

SMART goal: I will meditate for 5 minutes a day, 10 times by January 15th.

What’s beautiful about resolutions is that they can be looked at as long-term goals. Long-term goals are typically broader and can be on-going. They can be broken up into short-term goals or objectives, that are measurable, achievable, and can be advanced! Once you achieve a goal, you can change that goal.

Here’s how to advance the goals from above:

New year’s resolution: I am going to be a better presenter.

SMART goal: I will use slow my rate to 75 words per minute during a 10-minute presentation, three times by March 1st.

New year’s resolution: I am going to work on my self-care.

SMART goal: I will workout from 6:00-6:30 in the morning, 25 times by February 28th.

New year’s resolution: I will be more grounded and present.

SMART goal: I will meditate for 10 minutes a day, 12 times by January 30th.

This way, your resolutions are not scary. They are a larger plan with smaller steps. This makes them easier to achieve and keeps a greater focus.

Try to create your own SMART goals for your resolutions that start today or start in the middle of the year.

Here’s to the new! Here’s to your growth! Here’s to you!

Love, Mer