WHAT DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE IN 2023?
It’s that time of year again. Unearthly amounts of food have been consumed, regrettable quantities of alcohol have been drunk, and the only weight you have lifted for two weeks is your wine glass. And it is now time to start your new routine for the year, in hope that you can keep it up for at least the first month.
Before we can begin to create our action plan for the year ahead, we need to first know what we want to change in 2023. What is it that you want to add to your life? In order to do this, we need to understand what it is that our lives are lacking. And the best way to learn what that may be is to reflect on the past year.
Here are some prompts to start this reflective practice:
What didn’t I finish last year?
Am I happy with the amount I exercised?
Did I have a work-life balance?
What goals didn’t I start?
How was my relationship with food?
Now that you’re thinking about the person you developed last year, we can start to create the pieces of the puzzle that, once pieced together, will form the person you wish to be a year from now.
Here are some prompts to start creating these puzzle pieces:
What will help me finish that goal this year?
What would I have to do, to be happy with the amount I have exercised?
How can I adjust my schedule to create more balance in my life?
How can I make myself accountable for the goals I set?
What would a good relationship with food look like for me?
Challenging yourself to reflect on the past year and think about the position you would like to be in a year from now should help you form the basis for your new year's resolutions.
WHAT IS YOUR 2023 PLAN OF ACTION?
You know what you would like to achieve in 2023, but how are you going to do it? And how will you ensure that you stick to your new year's resolutions?
A goal without a plan is just a wish. So, unless you have access to a magic Genie, your wishes won’t make your resolutions come true this year or any year for that matter.
When standing at the foot of a mountain it can be daunting to imagine yourself at the peak, which will spark doubt, decrease motivation, and increase your chances of walking away. So, stop looking at your resolutions as one gigantic mountain. Instead, approach your resolutions in small manageable chunks. Set camps for you to rest and recover at, where you are able to look down and see how far you’ve come and spur you onto the next camp up the mountain. Schedule food breaks on your journey to each camp to make sure you’re refreshed and energised for the climb ahead. Before you know it, you will be approaching the summit, confident, motivated, and happy, you won’t have burnout and you will be ready to climb the next one!
How does this apply to your new year’s resolutions?
The year is your mountain, the camps are the months, and the food breaks are your weeks. Break your resolutions down into these components and set yourself process, performance, and outcome goals to be achieved for each milestone. This process will keep you motivated, driven, resilient, confident, focused, and healthy in the pursuit of your resolutions this year.
5 TIPS TO STICK TO YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
Year after year, you fail your new year’s resolutions. Why not try something different this year? Arm yourself with the mental tools that when paired with the physical guidance of an online coach/PT, will ensure you stick to that fitness goal! Below are 5 tips to help you stick to your new year’s resolutions this year:
Don’t set generic goals! These are your resolutions, don’t follow the pack, set goals that will add value to your life no matter how trivial they may be. Be autonomous and set resolutions you want to achieve.
Your resolution does not have to be quantifiable. Too much stress is placed on being able to physically measure our resolutions. Yes, this may be great for some goals, but not for others. Resolutions are personal to you, if you feel growth in yourself, this can be a success.
Include your support network. Including others in the journey to achieve your resolutions can help increase your accountability. As long as these are kind and supportive people, that build you up and don’t shame you into completing your goals, then you will increase your chances of completing them and enjoying the process.
Set some open resolutions. Not all of your goals need to be specific and time-bound. If one of your resolutions includes forming a new habit such as going to the gym or training leg day more frequently. Then leaving this as an open target can help you to stick to the new year’s resolution, rather than dropping it.
Enjoy the process. New year’s resolutions are formed because you want to improve your life in a particular area. If this comes at the sacrifice of your own enjoyment and happiness in life, then you will fail your resolution, and I don’t blame you! There are many ways to achieve the same goal, find the way that works best for you!
Happy New Year and good luck with your resolutions this year. I would love to hear the resolutions that you’re hoping to achieve in 2023, so please feel free to share them in the comments! If you would like help developing mental skills that will get you to stick to your new year’s resolutions, then please get in contact with me at robin@autonomypsychology.com
Best Wishes
Robin Hughes
Mental Performance Coach and Sports Counsellor located near Chelmsford, Essex, UK supporting athletes, exercisers, and coaches worldwide with Online Sports Psychology Services. Specialising in working within the fitness industry.
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