January is a time to think about change and for many of us that means setting a New Year's Resolution. You may have heard that New Year's resolutions don't last. Some studies report that as few as five percent of New Year's resolutions are kept, and that most fail by the end of January. If the resolution involves diet and exercise, it will likely 'fail' by the time you read this article. I don't think that not setting a New Years Resolution is the answer either.
And, even if 95% of resolutions fail, that still means that 5% of people who set Resolutions achieve them! If you don't set goals, (call it a New Years Resolution, intention, or whatever you like) you're missing out on a wonderful opportunity to live the life you want to live- to be the person you want to become. In this article I'm going to walk you through a simple-step-by step process to create a New Years Resolution that works.
Step 1. Reflect on 2015. The New Year is not a blank slate- it's a continuation from years past. Take time to celebrate your successes and to acknowledge the areas where you struggled. Positive and negative experiences shape who you are and you can learn from both. Ask: What went well? What challenges did you face? What are some of your happiest moments? What lessons did you learn? Where are you at the end of the year compared to the beginning of the year? How did you do on last year's goals? If you take time to write down your review, you'll have the special gift of being able to read it again in the future.