Did you make a resolution at the beginning of the year? Did you “fail” a week in or not even try at all?
We are halfway through the year. Instead of waiting until next January to check things off your list of goals, why not start now? Check out the steps you can take to accomplish the most popular resolutions that people make.
Improve Health and Wellness
Don’t wait until January to work on your health and wellness. Start today! Ask yourself what you want to achieve? Do you want to lose 20 pounds? Do you want to train for a 5K? Get to work. Health and wellness go beyond your physical body. It also includes your mind and soul, so be sure to think beyond your waistline as well. Do you need to start practicing more self-care? Have you been struggling with depression or anxiety?
If you want to hit the gym more often, recruit a friend to go with you. Would you rather work out at home? There are dozens of programs that you can do in your living room. Find a local yoga class. If you have always enjoyed lifting weights, check out a local CrossFit gym. Have you been struggling mentally? Talk to your doctor or find a therapist to help.
Try different things and see what you like. Improving health and wellness is something that everyone can benefit from. It should be something that you enjoy doing and then you are more likely to stick with it.
As I mentioned, it’s important to focus on your mind too. Maybe you should try meditation or get up an hour early and have your coffee and quiet time to prepare for the day. Some other ideas:
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Journaling
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Daily devotional
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Gratitude list
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Reading personal development
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Listening to podcasts
Make habits of focusing on your mental and emotional health now instead of waiting for a new year.
Save Money or Get Out of Debt
The ever-popular “get out of debt” goal. It’s June and you are still racking up that credit card bill or cringing every time you walk to the mailbox because you fear the number of bills that are inside. If you want to save money or get out of debt, don’t wait until next January to get started. Start now. There are things that you can do to help you crush the money making goal.
Why not start with the credit cards? Find out what your interest rates are and don’t be afraid to call the credit card company to discuss payments if you are struggling to pay on them each month. Don’t ignore them. See what your options are.
Look at your bank statements and see where you are spending your money. You may not think much about a $3 burger here or a $4 coffee there, but these little things add up quick. Speaking of food, start planning your meals for the week so you can avoid the fast food drive-thru. It’s pricey to feed a family at a fast food restaurant. It could be the same as a week’s worth of groceries. Plus, if getting healthy is another goal of yours, you want to avoid fast food anyway.
Depending on your specific financial goals, you may benefit from seeking education from someone like Dave Ramsey. Ramsey offers his course, Financial Peace University, to help people become debt free. (1) In this course, you are taught how to pay off your debt while saving money in totally doable ways.
Get a New Job
If you loathe your current job or have been wanting to make a change for years, start doing things to get a new job today. Freshen up your resume. Make a list of the companies that you would love to work for and reach out to them or sign up to get job opening alerts.
Networking is really important when it comes to your career. You never know who someone else knows. Making a new contact can lead to the job you’ve always wanted. Check out networking opportunities within your city and consider working with a recruiter. When you do have an interview, be sure to follow up and thank them for interviewing you.
What’s your dream job? Is it something that you can create? If you have been dreaming of becoming an entrepreneur, you can’t continue to put it off. Start doing what you love as a side gig. Put your head down and do the work and hopefully one day you will be able to do it full-time.
Tip: Please, clean up your social media and strengthen your personal brand. Job recruiters don’t want to see those Spring Break pictures from college, nor do they care what you did Friday night.
Start a New Hobby
There is no reason to wait to start a new hobby. Why put off the fun of exploring new and exciting things? You need to start now! Make a list of new things that have always interested you, no matter how extreme. Maybe you want to take up skydiving. Do it.
Thinking less extreme? Is there an instrument you’ve always wanted to learn to play? Get a piano or a guitar teacher. Perhaps you’re not a great cook, but want to improve. Take up cooking classes.
Some other fun hobbies to consider:
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Cycling
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Sewing
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Furniture refurbishing
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Gardening
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Writing a book
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Learning a new language
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Explore your genealogy
The possibilities are endless when it comes to looking for a new hobby.
Making SMART Goals
The key to accomplishing any of these goals is to make them SMART goals. SMART goals are goals that are:
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Specific
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Measurable
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Achievable
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Relevant
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Time-Based
When you make any goal, you should make sure that you use these criteria to increase your chances of being successful.
Don’t be afraid to share your goals with your loved ones or find a group of like-minded people to work alongside with. This is a great way to hold yourself accountable and be more likely to succeed. In fact, you have a 65% chance of completing a goal if you make a commitment to someone else. (2)
Setting big goals is awesome, but you should also set smaller goals as you work towards the big one. If your big goal is to lose 20 pounds, then set smaller goals of losing 2 pounds per week. If you have a goal of writing a book, set a goal of writing 30 minutes to an hour a day and stick to it. Knowing the steps you need to take in order to accomplish your big goals is the best way to accomplish them. It also keeps you motivated because you see yourself succeeding along the way. (3)
It’s Not Too Late to Crush Your Goals for the Year
Napoleon Hill said, “Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” If you are waiting for the right time to start pursuing your goals, you will spend your life sitting on the bench. The timing will never be right, so start pursuing your goals today. It’s not too late.
References:
(1) https://www.daveramsey.com
(3) https://www.inc.com/gordon-tredgold/4-tips-to-help-you-achieve-your-goals-in-2018.html