So here we are again, January – the Monday of months, the fresh start, the month where everyone feels that pressure to get their sh#t together.

Many of you may have already started working towards your New Year’s resolutions.

Some of you may be procrastinating for one reason or another.

Some of you are even procrastinating on making New Years resolutions all together.

And some of you probably think resolutions are dumb.

Yes, January is stressful. Everyone is talking about taxes, the gym or your favorite yoga studio is overcrowded, your bank account is crying after the holidays and you keep writing the wrong year down.

But January is also a fresh start and just like starting your day or week off right, starting the year off in a positive way by setting goals to achieve can help you build the momentum you need to improve your life in ways you never thought possible.

So, let’s get down to business – here are the 5 steps you need to take to actually follow through with your new years resolutions.

1. WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS!

Make your goals specific. Do not just write “get in better shape”. What does better shape mean to you? Does it mean to lose 10 pounds? Does it mean to be able to play with your kids without pain? Does it mean to be able to run a 7 min mile?

Really think about what you mean and write down specific goals. Also make sure to write these goals somewhere you can see them often. If you type them out, print them! This is important because it keeps the end in sight, literally. Seeing what you are working towards will remind you of your WHY and hopefully keep you on track.

2. UNDER EACH GOAL, WRITE DOWN 3-10 STEPS YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE IT.

If your goal was to be able to play with your kids without being in pain – your steps to achieve this goal may looks like this: 1. Spend 30 minutes tomorrow researching what health professional I should go to. (Let’s say you chose a chiropractor because you wanted a holistic approach which didn’t require you to take medication.) 2. Call the office and make an appointment.

3. Get assessed by the chiropractor to find the root of the pain. 4. Follow the doctors care plan and exercises.

5. Start to increase play time in 5 minute increments.

6. Hit 30 minutes of playtime without pain.

3. CREATE A TIME LINE AND DEADLINES FOR YOUR GOALS. Get out the calendar and decide – how long is it going to take you to follow through with your steps. Some steps can take minutes and others can take months. Be realistic. Give yourself time, but don’t give yourself all the time in the world. There needs to be a deadline or most of your goals will remain words on a piece of paper.

4. TELL SOMEONE ABOUT YOUR GOALS. Telling someone holds you accountable. In the best-case scenario someone else will have a similar goal and you can hold each other accountable. It’s better not to have the same person holding you accountable for all of your goals. 1 goal, maximum 2, per person is ideal.

5. HAVE WAYS TO MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS AND REWARD YOURSELF WITH EVERY MILESTONE YOU HIT.

Measuring your success is extremely important. Achieving your goal may take the entire year, but seeing that you are getting closer will keep you motivated. Let’s use our previous example of playing with your kids without pain. Measuring this can be done by tracking the minutes of playtime before pain starts or the severity of pain felt on a daily basis. Rewarding yourself is also important. Humans are very motivated by pleasure. Treating yourself for making it to a milestone will make you feel good about doing the work and also gives you a great excuse to do something for yourself that you 100% earned.

There you have it.

5 easy steps to make 2020 the best year yet!

We’d love to hear about your goals in the comments! 👇🏼

Until next time,

Dr. L