Hello and Happy New Year! It’s already the middle of January, and truth be told, the vast majority of people have already given up on their New Year’s resolutions. It’s easy to set goals, but usually not so easy to achieve them – and when the going gets tough, most people give in and quit.
Just what are people missing when it comes to setting New Year’s resolutions and then having the wherewithal to rise to the challenge?
Consistency!
Consistency is showing up 25 days out of 30, and being proud that you showed up and gave it all you had. Perfectionism is showing up 5 days straight, missing the sixth day and completely giving up.
We cannot expect perfection from ourselves. It’s unrealistic to set the expectation that we are going to do things perfectly and that life will go exactly as planned every day (or any day really!). There are going to be challenges that rock us to our core when going after a goal, no matter what you’re striving for.
Whether you want to lose weight, or make fitness a priority so you can get to a place where you no longer huff and puff up the stairs.
Whether you want to get promoted at your place of work or start a business.
Whether you want to eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables on the daily, or to stop dining out so much.
Whether you want to save up to buy a house or put away enough money for your dream vacation.
It all comes down to consistency and perseverance in every scenario.
At the end of the year, I looked back at my fitness stats from my sport watch. Honestly, I impressed myself with the sheer numbers! Here’s a look at what my fitness looked like in 2023:
Little by little, our habits add up – whether they’re positive or negative habits.
That 20 minutes of yoga that I do most mornings totals around 8 hours a month and 96 hours of flexibility training and zen time in a year!
Same goes for the 30 minute daily walks that I typically take my dog on, and the 45 minutes or so that I work on strength training, cardio, interval training or Pilates work 4 or 5 days a week. I make active living a priority and treat it like a meeting that I can’t miss with myself.
And so, in 2024 I hope that you set yourself free and stop lugging the weight of other people’s expectations. Instead, I hope that you think deeply about what it is that you want out of this year and your life. Figure out just what YOU want to accomplish, and then practice consistency in taking the steps to achieve it.
If you’ve already thrown in the towel, it’s never too late to start again. No matter what time of year it is, it’s a good time to take steps to a create a more fulfilled life.
Here’s to a happy, healthy, goal getting year!
PS – If you’ve got a goal of eating healthier or making more homemade meals, here are a few of my favorite healthy recipes lately:
- Potato Leek Soup with Zucchini & Pasta
- Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes
- 30-Minute Lentil Coconut Curry
- Iron-Rich Green Superfood Chocolate Mint Smoothie
Small habits definitely add up and consistency is key to long term success
FACTS!
Happy New Year right back at ya, Nicole! I completely agree about the little things. We try to be as consistent as possible around here, but we also allow ourselves a little cheating here and there, too. (That might be sleeping in instead of going to the gym one day, or it might be a meal that’s a little on the bad side…but that helps us focus on the other days and not lose steam!)
Totally! I think that “cheating” can be part of the whole picture of consistency. It’s not about perfection, it’s about showing up when you’re able to. And also, sometimes the best decision and what you need more is to catch up on sleep vs getting a workout in – especially as a tired parent 🙂 Wishing you a happy, healthy 2024 my friend!