Last Updated on January 8, 2019 by Jessica Adams
In our society, most of us have reached a point where we just can’t hear another New Year’s resolution. Even more, we’ve stopped bothering to make any for ourselves. We’ve all made and broken so many resolutions over the years, usually within the first thirty days, that they’ve lost their meaning.
Honestly, I feel a bit like the Grinch of New Year’s at this point, telling people to hush up about their ‘wishes’. The thing is, it’s far less an issue of resolving to do to something than it is the connection to a holiday that eventually passes.
In fact, I’m over here writing up my short-term and long-term ‘goals & intentions’ for the weeks, months, and the entire year ahead, in my new swanky journal! You’re thinking, “Wait, you’re doing what?!”
That’s right. And I’ve realized that so many other people (many even you?) do this too. It’s when you write your goals & intentions for the year ahead, NOT New Year’s resolutions. “Isn’t that basically the same thing?” No.
It’s all about severing that connection to just New Year’s. Sure, the timing, a brand new year, is a great time to commit yourself to new goals & intentions. A fresh start deserving of some fresh goals!
Still, a rose by any other name is still a rose… So how do we avoid the same old song & dance and actually stick to the changes we’re all ultimately trying to make? Here are a few of the most widely beloved ‘resolutions’ and some tips on how to make them stick!
Do You Really Want To
Read Another New Year’s
Resolution Post?
Lose Weight & Start Eating Healthy
We’ve all had that gym membership that was used twice and then canceled before Groundhog Day but that’s not the only way to lose weight and get healthy. The best thing to do is to start thinking about your lifestyle more consciously.
Think about the things that you’re putting in your body and how active you are. You don’t need to spend huge amounts of money on sports gear either. A good pair of sneakers, some cheap custom t shirts, and a free fitness app, are all you need to get started.
Eventually, you’ll figure out what types of activities you like to do, then find more just like it! It’s very important to actually like what you’re doing in terms of a workout, otherwise, you’ll never do it!
Last year I discovered HIIT, High-Intensity Interval Training, which has been scientifically proven as the perfect, all-around workout. AND IT’S REALLY FUN!! Oh, and did I mention that each workout doesn’t even exceed nine minutes?
And if I miss a workout, I don’t get too hard on myself because I can always find a spare eight or nine minutes of time to make it up… I’ll bet you can too!
Answer the ‘Call To Be Creative’
Most of us have a creative side, a spark somewhere deep down that we work hard to try and fan into a flame. And the new year is often a great time to try and ignite that spark into a full-blown fire.
However, most people’s inspiration doesn’t run on a calendar. The key to dealing with that? Stop worrying about inspiration! If you want to be more creative, you have to do it even when you’ve never felt less creative in your life.
The key is figuring out how it is that you want to express your creativity. Are you an artist, a painter or someone who likes to sketch? Perhaps your creativity is best expressed through music, dance or theatrics?
I consider myself a ‘full-time’ creative since I sing, act, love to collage, and photograph things. Can you guess what my biggest creative outlet is? Yep, writing! The worst though is when I have writer’s block. But, since I write for both ‘pleasure and pennies’, sometimes I need to write regardless.
Unfortunately, inspiration doesn’t always strike when I wish it would. I often think, “if she (my daughter) could just start drawing, even if she’s not inspired to draw at that moment or, if she would just start to play her Clarinet, even if she doesn’t know how to site-read yet, I’ll bet she’d inspire herself!”
Find a New Job
Sick of your job? You’re definitely not the only one. If you feel strongly enough about this hate, that you’d happily resolve to quit your job and find another within 30 days, then you’ve got yourself a resolution!
Wait a minute, did I just say ‘quit then find?’ Working while looking for something new isn’t only tough, it’s downright counterproductive. Then again, you may not have the savings to survive 30 days without a paycheck and if not, don’t feel bad… That’s most of America!
No matter how you get there, you just need to make that effort towards your happiness. You don’t want to sit down a year from now to reflect on the past year from the same job you’re at now!
Whether you try to make a New Year’s resolution or set new goals & intentions if you break the commitment you made before the end of January, no worries!! All you need to do is start again as soon as possible.
Far too often people get this idea in their head that they have to be perfect the entire way through the year or wait until next year to start all over. That’s ridiculous!
If you want to make a change in your life, it doesn’t matter when you do it, it only matters that you actually do it. So find that new job while at your current one, quit (if you can) and start hustling or, start your own business… The sky is the limit!
What are your Goals & Intentions for 2019? I’ve shared a few of mine below so please, let me know some of yours in the comments below!
Jessica Rose Adams
‘2019: The Year of Hitting My Goals & Following
Through With My Intentions’
Word of the Year: Consistency
Action to Take: Take care of my health
Something I’ve Been Wanting to Try: Self-Care!
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