Scrapping Our Vices for the New Year

Scrapping Our Vices for the New Year

Every year when the clock strikes midnight on January 1^st, we toast with champagne, kiss our loved ones, and celebrate our hope for better days ahead. Resolutions are made with full intent on beginning the New Year with a fresh start to the new us. We plan, organize, and look up all the ways on how to achieve our goals. Our minds are ready for change. Our bodies are ready for change.

As quickly as by January 7th, all motivation can be lost. The daily occurrence of life becomes a distraction. Laziness begins to settle in. We might even forget why our resolutions were so important to us in the first place, so they are sloughed off. How do you stay on track?

Write yourself a letter. Don’t let yourself forget why you wanted to start in the first place. Describe how you feel now and what makes you want to accomplish this trait or behavior. Insert motivational quotes or something you know will activate your drive.

Don’t push it off until tomorrow. Start now! Every time you tell yourself you will walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes tomorrow because you simply do not feel like doing it today, you are cheating yourself. Nike’s slogan “Just Do It” comes in very handy here. Get on that treadmill! The satisfied feeling that will take over will be worth it.

Find an accountability partner.  Not only will this person be in charge of holding you liable, but they will also be your cheerleader. It always feels great to have someone know how hard you worked to improve your life. You can also do this for them, so that you are not going through a challenge alone.

Choose one word. Pick a word that corresponds with your goal. Then, put it everywhere! Phone screen, computer screen, make it your password, write it on a post it, frame it, put it on your dashboard, listen to a song with the word in it each morning. This will ensure you never forget what you’re after. 

Don’t quit on yourself. You deserve this!