Has your New Year’s resolution taken a back seat? How to re-commit and be SUCCESSFUL.

As a coach, many people come to me for support after their attempts at change have been unsuccessful; or, rather, un-lasting.

We can, by shear will-power and intent, create almost any change we want for a short period of time.  When we set out on a new journey, there is excitement, energy, enjoyment, BOUNCE in our step!

Then, reality sets in. We don’t see the immediate results we want. It gets harder and harder to wake up at 5 am to start the day. Old habits are easy to fall back into.

AND - That. Is. Okay.

If change was easy, we’d already have made the change, right? So lend yourself a little compassion, friend.  What you are setting out to do is HARD.  Hiccups are not the end. Having a rough day/week/month does not mean you have failed. You are human. And I bet you learned a TON in the process of trying!

Let’s dig into some tips on how to re-commit to your resolution (goal, vision, idea, habit, whatever-you-want-to-call-it) AND make change last.

Identify what you LEARNED from your past attempts.

Ask yourself:

• What went well for me?  “I ate fruit every day for the first week.”

• What HELPED ME be successful? “I made sure I put fruit on the grocery list and packed an apple in my lunch bag.”

• What was the BEST PART of my experience? “I actually enjoyed it!  I felt empowered about the change I was making.”

• What were the OBSTACLES? “I forgot to buy fruit last week. I ran out of time and grabbed whatever I had on hand.”

• What SUPPORTS would I need in place to overcome those barriers in the future? “Maybe set a recurring phone reminder. Keep alternate options on hand that still support my goals. Maybe I could try for 3 days a week and the rest is bonus.”

Learning from our experiences equips us with knowledge about ourselves and can set us up for success in future attempts.

Rediscover your MOTIVATION.

Why is this goal even important to you (the REAL why)? Not the, “Well, my doctor told me to do it” or the, “My boss wants me to communicate better.” Why is this important to YOU? Maybe you want to increase your self confidence. Maybe you simply want more energy. Maybe you want to be your own boss some day. Maybe you want to be able to run after your grandkids in 20 years.  Maybe you want to manage your health with lifestyle changes and reduce your dependence on medication. Maybe you want to hike the Appalachian trail. Whatever it is, pin down your real “why” and remind yourself you are doing this for a reason. And that reason is worth it.

Make it SIMPLE!

As above, we desire change for a reason. And usually, we want BIG change. “Backing off” your goal or making it smaller is NOT failure. Making your goal realistic and achievable FUELS success.  For example, if your goal was to be fully present in every moment of every day with your kids (because they deserve it, right?!) then, let’s break that down. What would it feel like to devote 15 minutes 2 days per week to be fully present, no distractions?   I would imagine achieving this goal would feel much better than feeling like a “failure” for not being present 100% of the time (when we logically KNOW this is not even possible!). Set your intention. Reach for the stars. And then ...simplify it!

So, yes. Change is hard. Sticking to change is hard. But I know that you want this change, so badly. And that with the right skills, tools, support and intention, YOU’VE GOT THIS.

As always, if you are feeling READY and would like additional support, I would love to partner with you on your change journey!