4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year’s Resolution

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Hello Lovelies:

A new year is born! And you know what that means? It’s time to redefine yourself and set a New Year’s Resolution. New year, new you, right?

But what if that isn’t quite right? What if that whole “New Year, New You” mindset sets us up for a lot of grief?

Turns out that New Year’s Resolutions and grandiose goals can really tear us down! Honest to goodness, they can have a pretty powerful effect on our well-being.

But fear not! There are healthy ways to chase those big dreams of yours. And we’re gonna dive in together and find out how!

Here are 4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year’s Resolution:

4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year's Resolution | Did you set a resolution this year? Turns out that the goals we set and how we pursue them can have a huge effect on our well-being. Let's go over some goal setting tips and talk about how to pursue them in a healthier way. Click through for the goodness. #goalsetting #selflove #selfcare

The Downside of New Year’s Resolutions

There’s a problem with New Year’s Resolutions… they’re often grand, super difficult (if not unachievable) and aimed at reinventing ourselves. And while I champion the idea of learning and growing, putting ourselves under too much pressure, like we often do when we set a New Year’s Resolution, can really backfire.

According to a Tom McAvity, a psychologist and fellow New Brunswicker (holla!):

“[when you set a grand New Year’s Resolution] you are actually creating more tension by attaching yourself to an outcome.” (source)

McAvity went on to explain that we may even be emotionally harming ourselves when we set a huge resolution.

4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year's Resolution | Did you set a resolution this year? Turns out that the goals we set and how we pursue them can have a huge effect on our well-being. Let's go over some goal setting tips and talk about how to pursue them in a healthier way. Click through for the goodness. #goalsetting #selflove #selfcare

It turns out that beginning the year by vowing to make often unrealistic, grand life changes can place us under a significant amount of stress, increasing our cortisol levels. Which, as I’m sure you can guess, is bad news bears!

A boost in cortisol can affect our thyroid function, weight, digestion and even suppress our immune systems. All things I personally don’t have time for, thank you! And I’m pretty confident you feel the same way! (source)

Oh, and even worse! If we don’t achieve the goals we set in our New Year’s Resolution we get another icky boost in stress. Which in turn reduces our self-esteem and even our sense of wellness.

Did I mention that approximately 80% of New Year’s Resolutions fail by February? That’s a heck of a lot of us stressing ourselves out. (source)

Does That Mean That We Should Stop Making Resolutions?

Not necessarily (although, hey, it’s totally cool if you don’t make a New Year’s Resolution! There is nothing wrong with being perfectly happy where you are).

What matters is that we change the way that we approach our goals and New Year’s Resolution.

4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year's Resolution | Did you set a resolution this year? Turns out that the goals we set and how we pursue them can have a huge effect on our well-being. Let's go over some goal setting tips and talk about how to pursue them in a healthier way. Click through for the goodness. #goalsetting #selflove #selfcare

If we decide to make one, we need to take some of the pressure off and be more realistic.

Dreaming and working to achieve the things that excite you is wonderful. But there are a few key factors that can make all the difference and save us from a lot of the unhealthy side effects.

4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year’s Resolution

1. Realize That You’re Already Awesome

Self-love isn’t easy. But it’s absolutely worth it. And, honestly, it should be at the heart of any changes you decide to pursue in life. Self-love is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle after all!

It’s important to remember that accepting yourself is not the same as becoming complacent.

4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year's Resolution | Did you set a resolution this year? Turns out that the goals we set and how we pursue them can have a huge effect on our well-being. Let's go over some goal setting tips and talk about how to pursue them in a healthier way. Click through for the goodness. #goalsetting #selflove #selfcare

You can still dream, grow and learn and accept yourself as you are at the same time! In fact, you should absolutely strive to do that.

The problem with many New Year’s Resolutions is that they don’t often come from a place of self-acceptance and love. Typically they’re aimed at re-inventing ourselves and focused on what we view as our worst faults.

On top of that, they often inspire us to hold our self-love for ransom until we become this mythical better version of ourselves.

If you exist in a constant state of ‘I am not enough and I can’t love myself until I become more’ all you’re doing is creating more suffering for yourself. And there is absolutely no sustainable growth in that mindset. It sets us up for a ton of stress and failure.

Need a little help? Here are 8 Ways to Work on Self Acceptance (And a Free Self Love Affirmations List)

2. Take a Moment to Reflect on Your Progress

4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year's Resolution | Did you set a resolution this year? Turns out that the goals we set and how we pursue them can have a huge effect on our well-being. Let's go over some goal setting tips and talk about how to pursue them in a healthier way. Click through for the goodness. #goalsetting #selflove #selfcare

It’s so easy for us to forget how far we’ve come and even undervalue ourselves. In fact, sometimes we’re almost completely unaware of our progress. Because a lot of the strides we make in life happen slowly, over time. If we don’t take a moment to look back with appreciation for a moment we might not even see it!

Reflecting is good for our self-esteem. And it can help us move forward with more realistic goals in mind. Oh, and it also helps to boost that whole self-acceptance thing we just talked about. Total score!

So stop for a moment, look back at all of the ups and downs you’ve made it through and see how far you’ve come! Give yourself some credit for all that magic.

Remember that you bring a ton of awesome to the table. You, right now, as you are, have made it through every hardship life has thrown at you. You’ve met so many goals, learned a ton from your failures (we all have them) and have grown so much. Current you is pretty wonderful!

And if current you wants to add more goodness to the pot, that’s cool! Just remember that you already rock and your resolution or goal is just adding to that goodness.

Related: 8 Ways to Love Yourself Fiercely (Your Health Will Thank You)

3. Rethink How You Approach Your Goals

4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year's Resolution | Did you set a resolution this year? Turns out that the goals we set and how we pursue them can have a huge effect on our well-being. Let's go over some goal setting tips and talk about how to pursue them in a healthier way. Click through for the goodness. #goalsetting #selflove #selfcare

How we go about setting our goals can have a huge affect on how successful we are and help to reduce that New Year’s Resolution or goal setting stress we talked about earlier.

Here are a few ways to set healthier goals:

  • Make Inner Goals Your Main Focus – inner goals are all about how you want to feel and what you want to achieve, regardless of outer perceptions. They tend to be more fulfilling to both pursue and achieve.
  • Embrace A ‘Less Is More’ Mentality – While it’s great to dream super, duper big, breaking your goals down into bite sized steps helps a lot. Focus on a couple of things that are essential and/or excite you and narrow it down into achievable steps.
  • Forget About Perfection – When your goal setting is all about progress and not about perfection we add a ton of joy and discovery to our ventures (and remove a heck of a lot of pressure.) Progress cheers you on! It stems from an open minded place and sometimes even leads us in directions we never could have discovered under the pressures of perfection.
  • Give Yourself Enough Time – It’s important to be realistic in our goal setting and give ourselves the time and space we need to feel safe and secure enough to achieve them.
  • Set Goals As They Come – Remember that January doesn’t have to be the only time that you can resolve to follow a dream or strive for change. Every day provides us with the awesome opportunity to create and pursue. Don’t put all that pressure on the first day of a new year.

Related: 5 Goal Setting Tips That Will Help You Achieve Your Dreams In A Healthy Way

4. Know That It’s Ok To Change Your Mind

4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year's Resolution | Did you set a resolution this year? Turns out that the goals we set and how we pursue them can have a huge effect on our well-being. Let's go over some goal setting tips and talk about how to pursue them in a healthier way. Click through for the goodness. #goalsetting #selflove #selfcare

So you set a goal or New Year’s Resolution, make sure that it’s fulfilling and broken down into bite sized, achievable chunks and then suddenly, halfway through, you’ve changed and you’re no longer interested.

Don’t panic!

When you become uninterested in a goal you’re pursuing it’s important to pause for a moment and reflect on what you’ve accomplished and what you had set out to do in the first place. If the goal no longer aligns with your path, don’t be afraid to let it go. (If you need a little help reflecting, meditation is a huge help).

You are not bound to these dreams. Sometimes we outgrow things and that’s ok. Don’t be afraid to walk away from something that no longer serves you, even if it’s your own dreams. You are allowed to outgrow goals before they are achieved. I promise you, there are new adventures waiting just around the corner.

Need a little New Year’s Resolution inspiration? I think this one is the best one possible…

The Ultimate New Year’s Resolution

4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year's Resolution | Did you set a resolution this year? Turns out that the goals we set and how we pursue them can have a huge effect on our well-being. Let's go over some goal setting tips and talk about how to pursue them in a healthier way. Click through for the goodness. #goalsetting #selflove #selfcare

If you’re excited to set a New Year’s Resolution but not quite sure what to work towards, I’d love to make a powerful suggestion that could change your life! Vow to work on loving yourself fiercely! Maybe it sounds a little bonkers, but hear me out:

Regardless of what other wonderful goals you may have, a loving, forgiving, patient and respectful relationship with yourself is the ultimate foundation. Whether it be to eat healthier, to exercise more, to follow a new career path, to find the right counselor… having a healthy, positive relationship with yourself makes all the difference when pursuing any goal.

Why Self-Love Makes all the Difference:

4 Sure Fire Ways To Rock Your New Year's Resolution | Did you set a resolution this year? Turns out that the goals we set and how we pursue them can have a huge effect on our well-being. Let's go over some goal setting tips and talk about how to pursue them in a healthier way. Click through for the goodness. #goalsetting #selflove #selfcare

When you truly love yourself, everything changes. You feed your body with kindness because it’s part of your self-love language. Instead of developing a strict, unpleasant diet out of a dislike for your shape or size you’ll feel inspired to work to creative a healthy balance you adore.

Self-love helps you to change your dialogue with yourself, silencing your inner mean girl/guy. You do your best to remove yourself from scenarios that bring you misery because you value yourself and know that you deserve better.

And self-love helps you find the right help for you when you need it, because you recognize that you deserve love and support, just like everyone else.

When a love and respect for yourself exists at the foundation of your lifestyle, positive changes stick. Your well being is at the center of your actions. And that makes such an incredible difference.

Like any relationship, your relationship with yourself takes time, patience, love and care. But all of that time and effort is absolutely worth it.

Related: 3 Things You Need to Know About Practicing Self-Love

Remember – you are worthy of the love you so freely give to everyone else. Be kind to yourself. Trust me – self-love only creates more goodness.

Did you set a New Year’s Resolution? Share it with us! We’re you surprised to learn how they can affect your well-being? Any healthy goal setting advice you’d add to the list? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Health and love,

sara-signature

Thought of the day: I am worthy of my own friendship. I will make treating myself with love and kindness a priority.

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Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

Sara Flanagan is a wellness writer and the creator of www.mshealthesteem.com, where she shares her story of being diagnosed with Graves Disease, a chronic autoimmune disease, and empowering herself to do everything she can to thrive in spite of her diagnosis. She writes articles on self-love, acceptance, wellness and nutrition. Join the Health-Esteem Family today and share in the journey.

23 Comments

  1. Reply

    Kendra B

    January 2, 2019

    I don’t really have a resolution this year. Last year I wanted to focus on my bullet journal & I actually did really well. This year, I have a planner, so its a bit different. Good luck to everyone on their resolutions!!

    Kendra | http://www.helga-marie.com

    • Reply

      Ms. Health-Esteem

      January 14, 2019

      I’m so happy you were able to focus on bullet journaling last year Kendra! Journals are so powerful and making time for them is a really wonderful form of self-care. That’s a New Year’s Resolution I can get behind 100% :). But it’s also totally cool not to have one. You have a whole year of lessons and adventures ahead. You’re going to achieve a ton and rock it! Happy 2019 <3

  2. Reply

    The Social Nubian

    January 2, 2019

    Thanks for this information. This is a great way to start the new year.

    • Reply

      Sara

      January 14, 2019

      I’m really glad to hear that! I hope you have a wonderful year full of magic and adventure :). Here’s to a great 2019!

  3. Reply

    Nicole

    January 2, 2019

    What a wonderful resolution idea, to love ourself more fiercely. It fits right in line with 2019 goals, love it! Happy New Year’s, I hope its fantastic! ? ❤

    • Reply

      Sara

      January 14, 2019

      Happy you love it too Nicole! You can never go wrong with Self-Love :). I hope you have an amazing 2019 <3. May it have tons of goodness in store for us ^^.

  4. Reply

    Vanessa Pliego

    January 2, 2019

    This post makes me motivated to achieve my goals this year!
    https://vpbeautyblog.com/

    • Reply

      Sara

      January 14, 2019

      May 2019 be wonderful :). Remember to be kind, patient and gentle with yourself along the way. One step at a time and we always go far xD

  5. Reply

    Simple Money Mom

    January 3, 2019

    Instead of a resolution this year, I chose One Word for the year. Mine is FOCUS. I will think about this word in every area of my life: Faith, Family, Finances, Business and Career. I love your tip on letting go of perfection. It definitely holds me back. Hoping to change that this year.

    • Reply

      Sara

      January 14, 2019

      That’s a lovely idea! Giving yourself a focus as opposed to a resolution is pretty awesome! And so flexible. I hope that this year of Focus is full of tons of goodness for you <3. And that perfection goes the way of to Dodo :). You've got this!

  6. Reply

    Candi

    January 3, 2019

    I love this! Reflection is such an important tool in progress. If we don’t take the time to realize progress, we will never see it.

    • Reply

      Sara

      January 14, 2019

      I totally agree Candi! It’s amazing how much we notice when we take a second to look back and marvel at how far we’ve come. It really does make you feel awesome :). Hope you take some time to reflect on all of your amazing progress again soon! Here’s to a wonderful 2019 <3

  7. Reply

    Kemi

    January 3, 2019

    I rarely do resolutions but this gives me some things to think about to accomplish some goals for the New Year.

    • Reply

      Sara

      January 14, 2019

      Neither do I Kemi! They really can negatively affect our health if we don’t approach them the right way, which is why I wanted to talk about it. I think, ultimately, every day is a wonderful opportunity to pursue dreams, grow and learn. And when we’re kind and gentle with ourselves we can achieve a ton!

      Wishing you a wonderful 2019 full of goodness :).

  8. Reply

    Ntensibe Edgar Michael

    January 4, 2019

    I loved the post the mostest, at the point where you said, “don’t panic”!!!!! That’s the most important reminder I need, to me.

    • Reply

      Sara

      January 14, 2019

      Oh that makes my day Ntensibe! I’m really glad. I think we all need the reminder to not panic sometimes. I certainly do! I’m happy it helped you too! May 2019 be an incredible year 🙂

  9. Reply

    megforitcom

    January 4, 2019

    This is a very forgiving way of looking at things. I really appreciate your attitude towards goal setting and self love.

    • Reply

      Sara

      January 14, 2019

      Aww thank you Meg! I’m really happy you enjoyed it. I think that the way we approach things and how we treat ourselves can make an incredible difference and really help us pursue our goals in a fulfilling and sustainable way!
      Wishing you tons of success and joy this year. I hope 2019 is wonderful <3

  10. Reply

    iammyinspiration

    January 8, 2019

    Really motivating post. I plan to spend each day doing something towards my goal, so that there’s no hard work all of a sudden, and I get used to working each day.

    • Reply

      Sara

      January 14, 2019

      I love that you’re taking things one step at a time and being kind and gentle with yourself along the way! That’s a wonderful way to work towards goals :). And so full of self-love! Thank you tons for sharing this with us. I think you’re rocking it!

  11. Reply

    kikaysikat

    January 10, 2019

    Excellent tips! I hope I get to keep most of my resolutions this year

    • Reply

      Sara

      January 14, 2019

      I’m happy they’ve inspired you! Know that, no matter what, you are truly doing an amazing job. Even if your resolutions evolve, change or no longer suit you. 2019 will be full of opportunities to learn, grow and dream! May it be a wonderful year Kaycee 🙂

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Hiya! I’m Sara

I’m a wellness writer, Graves Disease thriver and self-love advocate.

And I’m passionate about empowering you to prioritize self-care and love yourself fiercely.

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