The holiday season is here. A time for friends, family, shopping, eating, drinking and New Year’s resolutions. A time when we resolve to make positive change, to do better and live a better version of ourselves. If you are one of the millions contemplating a New Year’s resolutions, this post is for you.
The sad reality is that nearly 50% abandon their resolve before getting started and less than 25% stay committed through the first month. A full 92% fail. There is even a ‘fail-by date’ of January 12 or 17 depending on which study you read. Most fail because their resolution is based in emotion, impulse or made to please someone else. They fail because they underestimate the power of habit and because they do not have a plan.
Life change is a journey. Living a life of healthy, sustainable behaviors involves understanding old habits and creating new ones, new habits that serve you today. To become one the 8% who succeed, start your journey with a wellness vision and a plan. A wellness vision is a compelling description of you, at your best. A successful wellness vision should give you confidence, energy and feel uniquely authentic. As you create your wellness vision ask yourself what will you be doing differently when living your wellness vision? What is motivating you to change? Why is change important to you?
Your plan begins with setting SMART goals. (S)pecific, (M)easurable, (A)chievable, (R)ealistic goals set in a self-defined (T)imeframe. Identify your internal strengths, those go-to techniques you used in the past when failure was not an option. Set short-term achievable goals that align with those strengths. Research has shown meeting even the smallest of goals builds confidence, enhances motivation and helps you to overcome resistance leading to greater, enduring achievement.
I you need help creating your wellness vision or navigating your life change journey, we at Work Well Concepts are here to help.
“It is never too late to be who you might have been.”– George Eliot
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