1. Start your bar high, but not too high.

Just because you want to drop 20 pounds, doesn’t mean it’s healthy to do so in one month. Just because you have 12 dresses in your closet that are all six sizes too small, doesn’t mean you’ll fit into them by spring. Start your bar at eye level. Set goals that you can see happen as quickly as two weeks down the road. Continue to build out milestone goals that can be achieved every month, so you are always in a position of success. It is better to raise the bar one inch every month and have a record of wins, than it is to start with the bar a foot too high and consistently come up short.

2. Make sure you tell the right person.

Everyone deserves that friend who tells you, “Hey, you have a booger in your nose,” and rushes you towards the nearest restroom. If that friend doesn’t know your goals for 2018, then you haven’t told the right person. This is a friend who will question you for picking up one more community assignment, because she knows you set a goal to finally get more than five hours of sleep each night. Or a friend who will point out your excuses when you stop for frozen yogurt for the fourth day in a row and will challenge you to find another way to work-out your stress. You need a friend who will be relentless about checking in, calling you out, and keeping you accountable until you’ve surpassed all of your resolutions. That’s the person who needs to know your new year’s goals, your life goals, and your plan for accomplishing them.

3. Don’t go cold turkey.

Let’s be honest. You’re not going to go from loving pizza on December 31st to suddenly abhorring the cheesy goodness on January 1st. (If you do, for goodness’ sake, tell us all your secret)!! If you’re wanting to put on healthy weight or lower your cholesterol, it is true that you’ll need to review your habits and make some changes. However, when we drop bad habits cold turkey with no good habits in cue to take their place, we often revert back to what we’re used to and comfortable with. Instead, attack your bad habits with the “See-saw Method”—gradually decrease the bad in one area while you increase the good in another area. You may choose to wean off of soda while you increase your intake of water. Or you may choose to pull back on the morning coffee while you pick up a few afternoon spin classes. Cold turkey is good for some, but not for most. See-saw your way through your resolutions.

4. Stop comparing your results.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Whether it’s at work, via social media, or at your new gym class—stop comparing your results to the results of those around you. If you are trying your hardest, if you are staying committed, if you are doing your best, then honor that. Just because your results aren’t showing as quickly as your friend’s results are, and they aren’t as advanced as your workout buddy’s results are, doesn’t mean you should dismiss your hard work altogether. Commend yourself for having results, period. Use the changes you do feel and the progress you do see to push you towards your next milestone.

5. Ask yourself “WHY”?

Lastly, always stay focused on your WHY. The difference between “because the doctor said so” and “I want to be able to keep up with my kids” is WHY. The difference between dreading that morning run and enjoying a more intimate relationship with your spouse is WHY. The difference between “but salad is so boring” and being proud of who looks back at you in the mirror is WHY. When you answer the question, “Why?” you put passion, purpose, and promise behind your commitment. Furthermore, when you have a clear “Wellness WHY,” it converts your resolutions from a checklist to a way of life. It’s not what the goals are, but why we set these goals in the first place that will help us march towards success with no regrets.

Resolutions are much more than JUST wishing…

We had less stress, more sleep, better eating habits, and more exercise. They are about setting goals that will help us live life abundantly. However, reaching personal wellness goals are a struggle when we wear numerous hats, we feel pressured to complete an endless list of responsibilities, and we look back on most days wondering where the time went. Well, to the ambitious and overwhelmed, THIS IS YOUR YEAR! We are helping you find your personal sweet spot between food, sleep, stress, exercise, and self-care. Join us for the 6-week journey of the No Regrets Resolution. Throughout this course, you’ll learn how to be your best self, do your best work, and live life abundantly.

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Dr. Asha

Dr. Asha is a Creator of Healthy Conversations. She is passionate about inspiring women to be their best selves, do their best work, and live life abundantly! To learn more about Dr. Asha, go to www.doctorasha.com/bio.

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