How to stick to your 2024 goals

The start of a new year is the perfect time to set goals and plan for the year ahead. Goals keep us motivated and inspire us to work on our overall well being. They allow us to change habits and establish new routines that will help us grow better relationships with friends and family, find mentors, finance a family vacation and more!

Of course, resolutions are much easier to make than to keep, and by the end of March, many of us have abandoned our resolve and settled back into our old patterns. Part of the problem may be that we do not know how to keep New Year's resolutions, despite our good intentions.

So, what can we do to make it more likely that we will keep our goals in check? The following tips may help us beat the odds.

• Choose very specific, achievable goals: Make them realistic rather than drastic. Set your goals according to your lifestyle and with what you will be able to achieve, otherwise you might lose your motivation. Be honest to yourself and be sure to consider the resources and time you have available to help you meet your goals.
• Stay positive: Believe in your goal and try to constantly remind yourself of the benefits and the impact it will have on your life. Focus on the positives and incredible outcomes that your goal will have for your well being. 
• Keep a journal: First of all, journaling has a host of wonderful health benefits. Journaling provides a way to process emotions, deepens self-discovery and encourages space from negative thoughts. Writing down your challenges or achievements on a regular basis can help you stay focused on keeping your goals. It can be eye-opening to jot down your progress and reflect on your journey. This will allow you to assess where you are in your plan and adjust your efforts accordingly. 
• Create a vision board: Grab your art materials, because it’s time to have some fun! Vision boards let you visualize your success–they are a powerful visual manifestation of your goals. By regularly looking at your vision board, you immerse yourself in a visual representation of what you want or hope to achieve. This helps create a positive and powerful image in your mind, making it easier to believe in your ability to achieve your goals.
• Show yourself compassion: If you’re unable to meet smaller goals during the week, don’t be so hard on yourself. When you’re feeling down on yourself, go back to your list of successes and review them. Just remember that you are already doing amazing just by waking up and showing up each day. No one is perfect. And guess what? We all need to rest and slow down, so be easy on yourself and show yourself compassion. 
• Practice self-care: If you aren’t properly caring for yourself, then how do you expect to crush your goals? How can you show up and give it your best if you are not nurturing yourself? Take time to relax. Take time to slow down. Take time to breathe. When you give yourself a break and allow your mind and body to reset, then you will be much more energized and reinvigorated to tackle the next day. 

Overall, the best thing you can do to stick to your goals is to enjoy the goal process! Have fun and don’t be hard on yourself. Ask for help when you need it and ask for someone to help keep you accountable. Don’t expect change overnight, because that will never happen. Consistency is everything. Stay focused, stay hyped and don’t sweat the small stuff.

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