Did you look at the calendar and realize we are almost a quarter of the way through this year? I can hardly believe it! Although April is one of my favorite months (it is my birthday after all!), I still find it so hard to believe how quickly the year flies by. It probably seems silly to be writing about New Year’s Goals in a post in March, but I recently heard a statistic that blew me away. Did you know 80% of New Years goals fail by mid February?
It got me thinking, why is that? Why do we make such a big deal out of setting New Year’s resolutions and goals just to let them fail in the first two months of the year? Seems pretty silly if you ask me. I’m sure no one intends to let their goals slip away. In reality, it probably just seems like one more thing to juggle in the grand puzzle of life. But hey! If you took the time to set them at the beginning of the year, that probably means you will feel much better if you accomplish them by the end of the year. (If not you chose the wrong goals lol)
Unfortunately, I am not off the hook. I would be lying to you if I said I had it together! I didn’t even remember my new years goals when I read that statistic. So bad! So I decided to get it together, and share my tips for getting back on track with your goals so you can finish the year strong.
Write Your Goals Where You Will See Them
The first problem in all of this is simply remembering! I have my goals written down in a Google Note (which I highly recommend) but not anywhere else. So unless I am looking for them, they aren’t really going to be at the forefront of my mind. It’s pretty close to impossible to achieve a meaningful goal if you aren’t working towards it daily or weekly. Recently I added my goals to my blogging notebook, my planner, and am going to start writing them on note cards. This way I can see them and am reminded to incorporate them into my day.
Some of my favorite planners and goal trackers: Bloom Daily Planner, My Planner, Similar , Fringe Studio Journal, Be Still Fringe Studio Journal, Watercolor Fringe Studio Journal
Create a Routine
The more I incorporate my goals into my day to day routine, the easier it is to stay on track. I break them up into daily tasks and add them to my calendar. That way they become more of a habit, and I don’t even have to think about it. When I don’t take time to do this, my goals feel more intimidating, and always end up on the list of things I “didn’t get to” at the end of the day. If I can encourage you in anything, it’s to take 10-20 minutes today and think about how you can break down your goals into a task you can accomplish every week. Try to form a habit. In no time your goal will just be part of your lifestyle and you can set a new goal!
Create Accountability + A Support System
If you set check-ins for yourself you are more likely to realize you have gotten off track and be able to fix it before its too late! This is definitely where I have been failing. Ha! Anyway, better late than never right? It is proven to be easier to reach your goals if you have a support system. Which is why I am grateful to have you guys! I would love to know what goals you have set for yourself in the comments below!
In the end, life doesn’t stop and its up to us to stay focused. Remember to make small steps towards the goals you want to achieve. It’s never been easy, nor do I think it ever will be, but I firmly believe checking in every couple of months will help keep your goals at the forefront of your mind and set you up for success in the end! If you haven’t been exactly on your game the past couple of months (like me, ha!), give yourself some grace! Dust off those shoes and get moving! Its never too late to start or even re-start your goals.
My New Years Goals:
- Be overall healthier and work out every week– Surprisingly not doing too shabby on this one! Tim and I got a gym membership in December and have been going to the gym at least once a week if not more. This week I have gone everyday and am starting to notice I am enjoying it which I NEVER thought would happen 🙂 That’s exciting!
- Take 1 Trip Out of the Country– I’m so excited we are going to cross this one off in the next couple of weeks! We have already booked our three week trip to Spain and Italy in May and I couldn’t be more excited. Italy is my top travel destination and I know it won’t disappoint. Stay tuned for more posts of our travel adventures. Ahhhh!!!
- Live More and Define the Play Category of Our Life– Tim and I were listening to an audio book last year that talked about the different categories of your life. The one that stood out the most to us was play! This is probably because we are both very dedicated and dubbed “workaholics” by most. Since then we have been more intentional with our free time. I have been playing guitar and singing. And of course working on the blog! And I’m loving it! Tim, typical of his cute little nerdy self, is reading full books in a day! It’s crazy how satisfied I feel at the end of the day, knowing I have spent time on things I truly enjoy.
- Have A Date Night Once A Week – Definitely need to work on this one!
- Blog A Couple Times A Week– Man have I been failing at this one! I haven’t blocked this time into my calendar or made a routine yet so I completely understand why. Life always gets in the way unless you make sure that it can’t! I’m excited to work on this one more 🙂
Thanks so much for reading! If you have any suggestions for how to keep on track with your goals, please let me know. I love hearing new techniques!