We've entered that part of the year where the weeks start to fly by very quickly. Work (or school) soaks up all of our daylight hours and it's dark out before we get home. Thanksgiving is only a couple of weeks away and by the time that is over it's nearly December, which is fully aborbed by Christmas shopping and then, eventually, Christmas itself.
All of a sudden, it's New Year's Eve. That's two months in the blink of an eye, and 2013 is staring you right in the face. According to Statistic Brain, 45% of people make a New Year's Resolution to go along with the new year. And I'm willing to bet that more of us would if we had the time during the November/December madness. Your friendly neighborhood Mystery Man thinks that resolutions are a good thing, because they allow us to attach the excitement of a new year to some tangible goals. Because of this, I want to do my small part in making it easier for all of us to make and keep a New Year's Resolution.
So I've made a helpful list that has worked for me and some of the other folks in the Mystery Man's Mysterious Circle of Mysterious Friends and Colleagues. Ready? Here it is:
Start Planning Now: In life, it's important to schedule time to think. And "think time" becomes more and more important the less time you feel like you have for it. The holiday season is the perfect example of this. During this time, it's easy to forget about yourself. So don't. Spend a few minutes a day quietly thinking through what you want to accomplish next year. Start doing this as soon as you can, so that you've got a few "think sessions" in before you have to drive to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving. Write down your thoughts and ideas, so that you can think about them again and determine if they're going to work and what you need to do to make them work.
Be Specific: "Get In Shape" is not a good New Year's Resolution, because it's not something that you can easily track. What does "Get In Shape" look like? How will you know when it's there? Instead, when making a resolution, build in some clear goals. "I want to run a 5K race." or "I want to fit into this pair of jeans" are much, much better because they're much, much more specific. If goals are specific, you can track them. And tracking leads to success.
Put Some Money Down On It: When you put money into something, like a gym memebership or a new hobby, you're going to be more inclined to stick with it. Humans naturally want their investments to succeed. If you want to learn how to play guitar, buy a guitar and put it somewhere that you can see it every day. Invest the money in it and then put it in a spot where you will remember that investment.
Tell Your Friends: A resolution works well when you're held accountable. If your friends and family know you're trying to do something, you're going to be more inclined to do it. If you're feeling brave, tell them to ask you about it. If you want to start taking a martial art, tell people and request that they ask you about it. That way, you know their questions are coming and you want to be prepared to answer them. And "martial arts is great, I go every Tuesday" is a much better answer than "I haven't signed up yet." Hold yourself accountable and let other people hold you accountable.
Use Technology: Put reminders in your Google Calendar, or find a useful app to put on your phone. If you want to quit smoking, download something to help. If you want to track your calorie intake in the new year, let a program help you. In decades past, people used to tie string around their fingers to remember something. Our technology has upgraded since then, so let's put it to use.
Be Honest With Yourself: Don't make a resolution just to make a resolution. And don't make one lightly. Put the thought in, weigh the time investments necessary, and when you declare it, be prepared to follow through. If you're making a hard resolution ("running a marathon"), make a couple of resolutions that are a bit easier to accomplish. In other words, have some aspirational resolutions that you are aware you may not be able to accomplish, and have some reaslistic resolutions that you can probably do quickly and more easily.
The time to start on this is now, folks. If you're going to do it, start doing it. Hopefully this advice helps with that. Best of luck in the new year, everyone! And feel free to share your thoughts, tricks, tips, and resolutions with us!
All of a sudden, it's New Year's Eve. That's two months in the blink of an eye, and 2013 is staring you right in the face. According to Statistic Brain, 45% of people make a New Year's Resolution to go along with the new year. And I'm willing to bet that more of us would if we had the time during the November/December madness. Your friendly neighborhood Mystery Man thinks that resolutions are a good thing, because they allow us to attach the excitement of a new year to some tangible goals. Because of this, I want to do my small part in making it easier for all of us to make and keep a New Year's Resolution.
So I've made a helpful list that has worked for me and some of the other folks in the Mystery Man's Mysterious Circle of Mysterious Friends and Colleagues. Ready? Here it is:
Start Planning Now: In life, it's important to schedule time to think. And "think time" becomes more and more important the less time you feel like you have for it. The holiday season is the perfect example of this. During this time, it's easy to forget about yourself. So don't. Spend a few minutes a day quietly thinking through what you want to accomplish next year. Start doing this as soon as you can, so that you've got a few "think sessions" in before you have to drive to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving. Write down your thoughts and ideas, so that you can think about them again and determine if they're going to work and what you need to do to make them work.
Be Specific: "Get In Shape" is not a good New Year's Resolution, because it's not something that you can easily track. What does "Get In Shape" look like? How will you know when it's there? Instead, when making a resolution, build in some clear goals. "I want to run a 5K race." or "I want to fit into this pair of jeans" are much, much better because they're much, much more specific. If goals are specific, you can track them. And tracking leads to success.
Put Some Money Down On It: When you put money into something, like a gym memebership or a new hobby, you're going to be more inclined to stick with it. Humans naturally want their investments to succeed. If you want to learn how to play guitar, buy a guitar and put it somewhere that you can see it every day. Invest the money in it and then put it in a spot where you will remember that investment.
Tell Your Friends: A resolution works well when you're held accountable. If your friends and family know you're trying to do something, you're going to be more inclined to do it. If you're feeling brave, tell them to ask you about it. If you want to start taking a martial art, tell people and request that they ask you about it. That way, you know their questions are coming and you want to be prepared to answer them. And "martial arts is great, I go every Tuesday" is a much better answer than "I haven't signed up yet." Hold yourself accountable and let other people hold you accountable.
Use Technology: Put reminders in your Google Calendar, or find a useful app to put on your phone. If you want to quit smoking, download something to help. If you want to track your calorie intake in the new year, let a program help you. In decades past, people used to tie string around their fingers to remember something. Our technology has upgraded since then, so let's put it to use.
Be Honest With Yourself: Don't make a resolution just to make a resolution. And don't make one lightly. Put the thought in, weigh the time investments necessary, and when you declare it, be prepared to follow through. If you're making a hard resolution ("running a marathon"), make a couple of resolutions that are a bit easier to accomplish. In other words, have some aspirational resolutions that you are aware you may not be able to accomplish, and have some reaslistic resolutions that you can probably do quickly and more easily.
The time to start on this is now, folks. If you're going to do it, start doing it. Hopefully this advice helps with that. Best of luck in the new year, everyone! And feel free to share your thoughts, tricks, tips, and resolutions with us!
In 2012 my rez was to run a half marathon. I ended up running several & also ran my first FULL marathon! I did it by joining a local running/fitness group. I have running buddies who keep me on track & focused. Support is everything!
This year's rez is to run an ultra marathon..., gulp!