Guest Post: New Year's Resolutions – Just Say No! by Valerie Taloni
New Year's Resolutions have been around since ancient Rome. Probably for that long, most resolutions have been forgotten about before the end of January. Resolutions are often about "fixing" some aspect of ourselves: lose weight, quit smoking, start exercising. Sometimes resolutions are about something we think we should do: volunteer, spend more time with certain people, learn something new. We often have the same resolutions year after year. We try to solve the same problems again, and again, and again.
Decide this year will be different: don't bother with New Year's Resolutions. There's no law that says you must make resolutions. Furthermore, studies have shown time and again, New Year's resolutions don't work.
Instead, consider giving yourself the gift of setting yearlong goals for 2010. Go to your calendar right now and block out a day the week of January 11th. (The holidays will be over and you'll have had a week to get back in the swing of things.) If the thought of taking an entire day feels overwhelming, then go for a half day, but nothing less.
On the designated day, take yourself, a pad of paper and a pen to a quiet spot such as your local library. (Leave your cell phone or Blackberry in the trunk of your car.)
Answer the following two questions on separate pages:
With the answers to these questions you can begin to formulate yearlong goals, and then a plan to achieve those goals.
When someone asks about your New Year's resolutions, tell them your one and only resolution is not to make any resolutions this year.
Valerie Taloni, aka The Goal Diva, is a coach, facilitator, and author. Her newly released eBook, "Burn Your Wish List! How to Stop Hoping for the Best and Start Planning for Success," provides a step-by-step plan to set and achieve your goals. http://www.burnyourwishlist.com/
Decide this year will be different: don't bother with New Year's Resolutions. There's no law that says you must make resolutions. Furthermore, studies have shown time and again, New Year's resolutions don't work.
Instead, consider giving yourself the gift of setting yearlong goals for 2010. Go to your calendar right now and block out a day the week of January 11th. (The holidays will be over and you'll have had a week to get back in the swing of things.) If the thought of taking an entire day feels overwhelming, then go for a half day, but nothing less.
On the designated day, take yourself, a pad of paper and a pen to a quiet spot such as your local library. (Leave your cell phone or Blackberry in the trunk of your car.)
Answer the following two questions on separate pages:
- What were my successes, joys and accomplishments this year? (Consider all the parts of your life, not just your work or business.)
- What were my disappointments, frustrations and failures?
- What do I really, really want?
With the answers to these questions you can begin to formulate yearlong goals, and then a plan to achieve those goals.
When someone asks about your New Year's resolutions, tell them your one and only resolution is not to make any resolutions this year.
Valerie Taloni, aka The Goal Diva, is a coach, facilitator, and author. Her newly released eBook, "Burn Your Wish List! How to Stop Hoping for the Best and Start Planning for Success," provides a step-by-step plan to set and achieve your goals. http://www.burnyourwishlist.com/
Great advice. I like the idea of reviewing your hits and misses, and acting accordingly. Thanks and Happy New Year!
Posted by: Deborah Brody | December 30, 2009 at 01:08 PM
Excellent point! I don't think most of us need "fixed" but an annual adjustment would helpto take stock of where we've been and where we'd like to be! And I also like the idea of taking time on January 11th instead of the first - I'll try it!
Posted by: Sarann Fisher | January 05, 2010 at 12:45 PM