Why you Should not set a New Year's Resolution

I absolutely cannot believe how fast 2016 has zoomed by us. It has been a whirlwind. As I reflect back and look on the things I have accomplished and of course the things I have not accomplished, there is nothing I would change about this year. Of course, I learn from my failures, but as far as a "do-over"....I'm good! I subscribe to the notion that everything happens for a reason and there is nothing that occurs by random chance or by coincidence. My faith helps me feel so secure and have zero regrets about things I have no ability to change.

For the past few years, I have made a commitment to myself to focus less on annual resolutions and more on lifestyle changes and SMART goals. I'll come back to the goals in a moment. I do understand and appreciate the desire to begin every new year with a clean slate. It can be rejuvenating to start on an idea, a project...a resolution at the start of each year. But why wait? If the idea is important, let's get it started the moment it occurs.

I have found that I achieve more success when I set SMART goals - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound - at 30-day, 60-day and 90-day milestones. It is a bit like that old proverb with instructions on how to eat an elephant. One bite at a time is how I break down my big goals. As I have success I start working on another one and add a new goal, broken down, into my lifestyle.

These are my thoughts on why you should not set a New Year's resolution. My suggestion is think about those things that matter to you, pace yourself and then take small bites you can chew.

Eating better is great if that is a goal. My life has been so much better since I made a lifestyle change about five years ago, rather than resolutions I would go hard with for about two months then become unmotivated by.

Same story with the gym and my workouts. Not until I began setting goals about what I wanted to achieve did I start seeing the results that I wanted. I didn't feel defeated, I knew there had to be a reason. I've since learned some lessons and could not be happier.

I realize there are plenty of people who make resolutions and see them through. I wasn't one of them. What's your take? Are you pro-resolution or do you think you should not set a New Year's resolution? Regardless, let's own 2017! Happy New Year!

XO
-C