How to Finally Complete Your New Year’s Resolutions

2015 is just around the corner and you know what that means...time to pull out your New Year’s resolutions lists from the last five years, and write them all down for your 2015 list. If you’re one of the many who are gathering forgotten lists from New Year’s Eve’s past, don’t be discouraged, you are not alone and 2015 can finally be the year that everything changes.

How to Finally Complete Your New Year’s Resolutions

Step 1
Set realistic goals. We would all love to stop world hunger, and end war in the Middle East, but as good as our intentions are, we have to be at least a little bit realistic. If one of your goals was to work out every day, 6 days a week for one hour, and you haven’t stepped foot in a gym for almost a year, you most likely will be setting yourself up for failure, potentially losing motivation all together.

Try starting off with something a little less drastic like, “I want to work out at least twice a week for a minimum of 20 minutes.” This will allow you time to adjust and develop a comfortable pattern, and keep you motivated as it is a more attainable goal. Dream big, but remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Step 2
Take baby steps and build. Following the realistic goal setting step, to guarantee a higher success rate in accomplishing your goals, for every big goal, make small milestone goals. For example, if your goal is to save up $5000 by the end of the year, make a baby step goal of putting away $208 per bi-weekly paycheck, for three months. By being specific and making your goals in small baby steps, you can feel a sense of accomplishment each time you reach a milestone and have motivation to continue on.

So remember, for every big goal, make 1-3 small milestone goals to help you stay on track to complete your goals by the end of the year.

Step 3 
Set Deadlines. Sometimes with the start of a new year, that can make us think that we have ALL year to complete our resolutions. Put yourself on a time clock that way you don’t become lazy by thinking, “oh, I have all year.” Whether it’s a birthday, graduation or anniversary, set dates to complete your goals by, and follow the “milestone method” to help you stay on track.

Step 4
Get an accountability partner. Use the buddy system! By telling a friend, or even your Facebook or YouTube fans about your New Year’s resolution goals, this can help you feel more accountability and pressure to keep your word. Even blogging your progress throughout the year can help you stay focused and motivated to complete your tasks.

Whatever your method, spread the word about the goals you are trying to accomplish, so you can not only feel accountability to complete them, but your family, friends and fans alike can help support you on your journey. Who knows, they may even want to join you!

Step 5
Don’t be so hard on yourself. The great thing about following the baby step/milestone method is that if you don’t reach your first milestone, it’s only been a few weeks or months, and you still have time to reach your goals. Don’t beat yourself up! Instead, simply readjust your goals. If your goal was to lose 50 pounds by June, and you only lost 5 pounds in January, either plan to try and lose 15 pounds in February, or change your main goal from 50 pounds to 35 pounds. It’s okay to change your plans! It’s better to continue to try and lose the weight, instead of becoming discouraged and giving up all together.

Step 6
Reward yourself. Besides not beating yourself up when you don’t reach a milestone, remember to reward yourself when you do! For every small milestone you complete, be sure to do something special for yourself. If you reach your first milestone weight loss goal, reward yourself with new gym shoes, or if your goal was to read five books in one month, reward yourself with a shopping spree at Barnes & Noble.

Whatever it is that makes you happy, treat yourself and besides your sense of accomplishment, you’ll feel even more motivated to continue so you can get your next reward!

Step 7
Enjoy the ride! Finally, fulfilling your New Year’s resolution goals does not have to be some stressful event causing you sleepless nights all year. Make it fun! It is always exciting to try something new, or change something in your life. Get caught up in the excitement, workout with a friend, start a blog to record your journey, or share funny videos of your progress on YouTube. Whichever you choose, enjoy the ride to self-improvement and to finally reaching your goals.