A New Year's resolution you can stick to

After the indulgence of Christmas often comes that tinge of guilt about enjoying yourself, and then it’s time for the New Year’s resolutions.

It’s a shame that many of us feel a need to ‘make up’ for taking a break. So I’d like to encourage you to take a healthy approach to your resolutions this year and not let them become ways to punish yourself for taking a week or two to rest and recharge, even if you did eat a lot of goodies and didn’t get any exercise.

It’s all OK!

We are absolutely all entitled to take a break from work and from our personal goals too. If you have big plans for the year ahead, then that’s wonderful, and I’m in your corner cheering. I just want to remind you of the importance of self-care and keeping the balance in your life.

A resolution you can stick to

There is a fairly common tendency to set the bar really high in January and make those goals too hard to reach. As a result, we may push ourselves too hard, making it feel more like punishment than personal growth. Or we may become overwhelmed with the task at hand and lose our motivation. This, of course, can lead to more guilt, which may be unhelpful.

So instead, how about setting gentler, more achievable micro-goals that see you on your way to that bigger goal? Chunking things down into steps can reduce overwhelm and let you catch your breath and acknowledge your progress.

I really encourage you to acknowledge your progress – enjoying success is just as important as the hard work you put in, in my opinion. That feeling of accomplishment can be a huge energiser and a great confidence booster too.

An alternative resolution

Maybe you aren’t sure what your goals are for the year ahead, or you are feeling uninspired by the idea of working on something new.

So how about an alternative to the classic resolution? How about setting an agenda for the year ahead to have more fun, enjoy life more and take good care of yourself?

If you need more inspiration, then here’s a little idea.

How about picking up a nice new notebook in the January sales, heading off to a coffee shop you like and beginning a journal for yourself? Many people enjoy new stationery and that sense of excitement that comes from writing down new plans. Or this notebook could become your new gratitude journal – a place to jot down positive thoughts and work on your mindset.

At the end of the day, not all traditions are worth keeping alive forever. If you have set yourself harsh New Year’s resolutions in the past and they haven’t helped you to grow, then it’s OK to let go of that ritual.

A gentler, more sustainable approach to self-improvement, using micro-goals and celebrating along the way, can be much more inspiring.

And please remember that there is no rule that says you have to set any new goals at all.

Just make yourself happy and have a fabulous year.