Seven Ways to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions

9/1/2017

Dream it, and you can be it.

Obstacles are only visible when you lose sight of your goal.
Sayings like these make goal achievement sound like a cinch.
The truth is that

setting and accomplishing goals isn’t as simple as it sounds. Because resolutions are often health-related, here in Porter Ranch California Soft Touch Chiropractic wants to help patients follow through with them.

Soft Touch Chiropractic has gathered techniques from recent research to help

you establish objectives that will stay around way past Jan.
Read on for tips on creating and sticking with New Year’s resolutions.

Select and Frame Goals With Care

If you’re like most people, coming up with goals — from health and finances
to family — is no problem. To determine which goals are most important,
give each goal a priority. Focus only on one or two goals that top the list. Frame goals around conditions over which you have as much control as possible. Goals based on personal achievement and acquiring skills or knowledge are more attainable than goals with outcomes beyond your control.

While it is vital to challenge yourself, choose only realistic goals. The saying that “procrastination is perfectionism in disguise” is true. You are more likely to tackle missions that you know you can actually complete.

For example, if your goal is fitness oriented, consider setting a goal of
exercising each day rather than finishing in the top 10 of a race. With
“outcome” goals, such as winning a race or being promoted at work, many
factors are outside of your command.Ineffective management, bad weather,
injury and others’ poor judgment can sabotage your success.

Begin With Baby Steps

Have prior failures made you leery about whether you’ll follow through
with your goal? Do you lack inspiration to start or feel that you just don’t
have enough time?
Relax, you’re not alone! Feeling overwhelmed by resolutions is not uncommon, but there’s a simple solution.:Soft Touch Chiropractic suggests you start by breaking down a goal into small, measurable mini-steps.
For example, the goal “clean up the house exterior so the house will sell” is
much too vague and broad to inspire.Small, incremental steps to meet the primary goal are much more manageable. Each small step should be something that you can visualize, such as
“pick an exterior paint color” or “trim hedges of front bushes.”
Research shows that considering goals in terms of small, manageable increments is the best way to attain them.In a study performed in Ontario, Canada, researchers asked 96 participants
o perform a complex task.Individuals who tackled the assignment by identifying and executing
specific steps were much more committed than those with general goals to do their best.
The researchers explained that identifying strategies to accomplish the
small steps increased the participants’self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is an individual’s personal estimate of his or her own ability to reach a specific goal.The researchers found that self-
efficacy further increased performance and determination (J Organizational
Behav 2001;22:291-307).

Write down the exact steps

in detail along with a date for completion. Jotting down all the small steps avoids confusion and gives the mini-steps more force by crystallizing the proc-
ess.Your written list of small steps is your action plan. Research shows that framing goals around a plan with clear objectives is much more productive
than thinking of goals as desires.One study, which included 188 participants, found that distinguishing between “desires” and “intentions” dramatically increased decision-making and action. When individuals framed goals around clear intentions, rather than desires, they were much more likely to perform and take action. Seeing goals as intentions also
decreased the timeframe for achievement (Eur J Soc Psychol 2004;34:69).

Write Down the Game Plan

Write down the exact steps in detail along with a date for completion. Jotting down all the small steps avoids confusion and gives the mini-steps more force by crystallizing the proc-
ess.Your written list of small steps is your action plan. Research shows that framing goals around a plan with clear objectives is much more productive
than thinking of goals as desires.One study, which included 188 participants, found that distinguishing between “desires” and “intentions” dramatically increased decision-
making and action. When individuals framed goals around clear intentions, rather than desires, they were much more likely to perform and take action. Seeing goals as intentions also
decreased the timeframe for achievement (Eur J Soc Psychol 2004;34:69).
For example, if your goal is fitness oriented, consider setting a goal of
exercising each day rather than finishing in the top 10 of a race. With

“outcome” goals, such as winning a race or being promoted at work, many
factors are outside of your command.Ineffective management, bad weather,
injury and others’ poor judgment can sabotage your success.
For example, if your goal is fitness oriented, consider setting a goal of
exercising each day rather than finishing in the top 10 of a race. With

“outcome” goals, such as winning a race or being promoted at work, many
factors are outside of your command.Ineffective management, bad weather,
injury and others’ poor judgment can sabotage your success.

Keep Up Momentum

Review your to-do list of mini-steps on a daily basis. Incorporate this review into your morning routine. Don’t skip it, even if you’re off schedule. If you do veer off schedule, regroup and
adjust your schedule. And, don’t be afraid to modify the small steps into micro-mini ones if you still feel overwhelmed.Keeping up momentum is important to self-confidence. Check off what
you’ve done, and reward yourself for finishing the step by doing something healthy that you enjoy.

Predict a Sunny Forecast

You may remember Eeyore from the children’s book Winnie the Pooh. Eeyore’s mood was as blue as his coat, and his spirit drooped as low as his head and tail. He’s an extreme image
of how negative thoughts can zap energy and focus.A positive mindset is a key to goal success. Research shows that people with optimistic expectations are more likely to follow through with goals than those with negative predictions.
Positive statements, expressed either out loud or inwardly, propel creativity
and energy to reach goals. Successful positive thinkers refuse to let small
defeats bring them down. For instance, instead of saying “I
skipped a workout this week,” say “I made all but one workout this week,
and next week I’ll make all of them.

Find a Coach

Consider finding someone to work with you toward your goals. Have him
or her hold you accountable for specific weekly or monthly action steps.
For instance, at work, this would be a supervisor or mentor. There are also
many coaching options for personal goals. Many successful individuals
have goal buddies or join "mastermind" groups, where they serve as each
other’s coach(es) on specific goals. Also consider hiring a professional life
coach or other professional best suited to help you achieve your goals, such as
a personal trainer, financial planner or interior designer.

rel=”author”>Masoud Shamaeizadeh

0 Comments