How To Make Your New Years Resolutions Work For You!

So we have entered 2015, you made your new years resolutions and now what?  We bravely make up this whole list at the end of the year but now roughly over four weeks later things already seem to crumble... Your resolution of not drinking alcohol for a month already went down the drain on the 3rd of January while attending some New Years receptions and oh, yes, your best friend had his birthday last weekend.. The bubbles and the birthday cake were just calling you... Sounds familiar? 

New Years resolutions, they seem like a great idea at first but always harder to implement consistently during the months after. Whether we feel overwhelmed, or find it actually harder to fit these new wishes into our day to day life. It starts with some exceptions - but pretty soon we feel guilty that we didn't carry out our intentions. Maybe you are still standing strong on your resolutions at this moment, but most of us hit this point, mostly sooner than later, where we want to burn our list and pretend it never existed. 

So should we stop making resolutions all together? No, I don't think so. We might just try a different approach to making a resolution list and carrying it out.
Here are some of my thoughts on how you might go about it and how 2015 could be the year where you actually will carry out your resolutions. Have a look and let me know what you think...

1.Take time to synch yourself with your inner gut feeling

Are you truly honest and in line with yourself about your resolutions? Or are your resolutions based on what you think you 'have to' but not really feel you want to? Sometimes we feel we 'have to change' our life in ways that are more inspired by cultural or societal input than based on what we actually need for ourselves this moment in time. Take some time to sit with yourself. Think about what truly resonates with what you want to do from this point in your life on. Ask yourself questions about your resolutions. "Why do I want to live healthier? Do I just want to loose weight or do I want to adapt a healthier eating pattern so I won't be feeling deflated and tired a lot of times? Is it more important to me to feel happy and strong in my body, or do I think that a size 36 will make me feel happy?" If you feel a bit lost on what actually matters most to you in life, have a look at these questions below which might provide you more insight into your past experiences and shed some light on your future desires. Resolutions that resonate deeply with you are the ones that will be easier to work on and more fun and satisfactory in the long run. 

2. Keep your list short

After you took some time to come up with your list it's time to kill some darlings. Pick only a few things you feel the strongest and most motivated about to change at this moment. Put the rest on a backup list. You can always add them later. Starting with an overwhelming list of changes you want to implement will make you feel unmotivated in no time. By staying close to what actually motivates and gives you fun you'll be more likely to stick with your resolutions.

3. Take time to envision your goals and be specific 

Don't generalize your resolution. 'I want to be healthier' is way too general. Formulate how you could make healthier choices in your current life style and how to adopt them. Be very positive about the ways you want to change your life. Visualize how you feel after, for instance, you worked out, or quit smoking, or spent time with your friends instead of your work. And keep reminding yourself of those good positive feelings daily!

4. Break goals down into little steps and take one daily 

No goals were ever reached overnight. So take tiny steps in reaching for them. Figure out which small actions you can take each day towards getting closer to your goals. Take one step at a time.  Soon those little changes will be laying a solid foundation for an alternated lifestyle. Odds are that the road towards your goal will be far more exciting and endearing than the goal itself.

5. Focus on the proces and plan ahead 

Think out a strategy. What will you do when you are encountering hick ups in your plan along the way? How will you cope with unforeseen situations? Take some time to ponder on how you will cope with what life throws your way. You want to eat healthier but are always on the road with nothing but fastfood to munch on? Then make it a habit of bringing some healthy snacks with you. 

6. Check in with yourself regularly

Pick a date every month to spend an evening with yourself and check in on the status of your resolutions. Are you on track? Do you need to adjust your course of action in order to make working towards your goals easier? Be honest to yourself and compliment your efforts thus far. 

7. Don't beat up on yourself

You should have the feeling you are actually doing something nice for yourself instead of punishing your self. So be kind and gentle to yourself. Maybe you have slipped a little, maybe you still don't work out as much as you like. But getting upset or angry with what you didn't do, will definitely not inspire you to get towards your desired goals.  So you had a little set back, don't throw your towel in the ring, thinking you won't succeed. Just start again and take pride in the moments that you did work on your resolutions and carry on!

8. Be playful about it 

You made your resolutions because somehow you felt that you would feel better by accomplishing them. Keep reminding yourself of that and see it as a game. It's fun to exceed your own boundaries. Surprise yourself! 

Make this your best year thus far! I root for you! ;)

Big Love,
Nuri ***

Ps. Care to share? Let me know what you think or what works for you in the comment box below!