Better Steps, Better Resolutions

It's February now. For a lot of us in the Midwest the beginning of this month meant digging out from under a pile of snow. February is also a good time to see where you are at with your New Year's Resolutions. I applaud those of you who are doing great six weeks in to the New Year. This post will be for the rest of us.

Why are New Year's Resolutions so popular? A new year brings promise. January 1st marks a new beginning and it is natural for us to want a new beginning for ourselves. But in what areas do we want a new beginning? I am sure that we have already thought of a couple of areas in which we could do better. Yet not a lot changes for us during the year. We lack motivation, we lack focus, and we lack results. Achieving some measure of success pushes the snowball down the hill.

So, what to do when we are falling flat on our resolutions but we still want things to be better for ourselves?

1. Identify your problem area(s): What seems to be causing the most stress? Relationships, health, work, anxiety? The more specific you can be the better your results.
2. Dream a little: When you are doing better in your problem area(s) what will you be doing differently? Take some time to imagine what your life will be like when things are different. Write these ideas down. 
3. Take baby steps: A small step forward is still a step forward.What will bring you one small step to impacting your problem area? How will you know what you are one step closer? What might be different or what might have to happen? 
4. Fake it until you make it: Envision yourself living better in your problem area(s). Keep that in mind. Don't beat yourself up for small setbacks. Continually imagine that you have already arrived and start behaving like your future self. 
5. Don't ride the blame roller-coaster: Don't sell yourself short and wait for others to initiate change in your life. Take respnsiblity; you will feel better. 

 These may seem like simple steps and I know that they are hard to put into action. It is my hope that these steps prove helpful in your quest to improve your life over the next ten months.