Can you believe that the #Last90Days of 2019 have come and gone? I certainly can’t. 2019 has flown by and it’s hard to believe that we are less than 30 days away from welcoming 2020. Whether you are ready or not, 2020 is upon us. 

The start of a New Year is the perfect time for self-reflection. It is also a great opportunity to wipe the slate clean, start fresh, and set new goals. For some, starting fresh may mean jump-starting a new exercise program or improving eating habits. For others, it may mean a commitment to spending more quality time with family and friends or committing to living a more authentic life. Whatever your goals for the New Year may be, the real work begins when it comes to sticking to a new habit or routine.

Staying the path is difficult. Life happens. Change is difficult. So, instead of only setting one BIG goal this year, set mini-goals or stepping stones for what you want to do, accomplish or move toward. Setting smaller goals that can be achieved more frequently will give you the motivation you need to keep moving forward when bumps in the road appear throughout the year. 

As the New Year rolls around, I also want to encourage you to steer clear of fad diets, bandwagon fitness trends, and poor planning for good intention. I encourage you to set healthy goals in diet, fitness, finance, business, and pleasure.

Don’t Let The Holidays Bring Guilt

I see this every year: People feel guilty about eating too much during the holiday season. They often throw their regular health and fitness habits out the window during the holidays. Once the dust settles, the after holiday guilt sets in. To combat this, they set an “I am going to lose weight & diet” goal as their New Year’s Resolution. After about a month, this goal is only visible in the rear-view mirror.

The key to successfully sticking you your goals: asking yourself why you have set these goals and what brought you to this place of needing to change. Understanding this is essential to a long-term win on any size goal.

3 Steps to Setting Goals for the New Year

1. Figure Out What You Are Missing

Ask yourself: What have you fallen away from? What did you really enjoy, or benefit from, but have allowed other things to take precedence? What will bring you more happiness or fulfilment in life?

2. Start Small

Take the previous list and set small goals that lead to achieving the big ones. Think of it like finding the stones to hop on across the pond versus taking a big leap and hoping you make it. After you set your goals for the year, break them down into small goals each month.

3. Take Action

What will it take for you to put your goals into action? Some things that may help:

• Journal about your goals
• Get a coach to guide you
• Put sticky notes in places that will remind you about your goals
• Set alerts & reminders on your phone calendar
• Download a habit-tracking app
• Check out these tips on getting results
• Sign up for my Practices for a Positive and Productive Life Masterclass

How Yoga Can Help

Yoga has helped me keep my life in perspective, my choices in check, and my goals realistic.

The yoga that I know and promote is not a quick fix. It is not just callisthenics, it’s an approach to living. It asks us to examine ourselves as we slowly morph the body and mind into it’s healthiest state. Start by looking at the layers beneath first.

Yoga has allowed me the ability to stay in check with my commitment level and my desired outcomes and actual outcomes. I can see where I fall realistically, based on how these measure up against each other.

This New Year starts with my commitment to my practice, and the evaluation of my excuses and feelings that come with getting onto the mat daily. I’m taking what I learned about life, the mind, and my actions and incorporating it into my everyday life.

So, are you all in?

If you are ready to set goals for 2020, start with this 2020 Goals & Vision Blueprint!