I love the idea of New Year’s resolutions. I am all for bettering myself and making healthy improvements. Plus, there is something so refreshing starting a new year and being able to take it in any direction I choose.

But if there’s one thing that can get me really kick me to the ground, it’s myself.

I am by far my hardest critic. I find myself getting stressed or anxious at home when I don’t get as much blogging or cooking or cleaning accomplished as I would have liked. But, why?

When I notice this happening I take a deep breath and reassure myself that it is okay. Not meeting a resolution every day does not equate to failing myself.

Goals VS. Resolutions

I turned to my trusty friend Google to pinpoint what exactly the difference between goals and resolutions are.

Resolution (n): a firm decision to do or not to do something

Goal (n): the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result

Do you see a difference in these definitions?

A resolution is so concrete (“a firm decision”) and very “black and white” (“to do or not to do something”).

On the other hand, a goal is centered around a desired result and emphasizes that to be reached one must utilize their ambition/effort.

Goals can be TWEAKED. ADJUSTED. Or honestly, altogether changed if the original goal is not serving the person in a positive way.

Goals are worked towards gradually. One day of not meeting your goal does not make you a failure. Rather, your ability to continue working towards the goal with ups and downs along the way is actually meeting your goal perfectly.

How I Decide On My Goals

When it comes to setting these goals, I stay simple, attainable, and positive. I don’t believe in negative goals such as “Stop thinking negative thoughts.” Instead, I would make my goal, “Think thoughts that are uplifting and move me in the right direction.” That way I am reinforcing the progress I want to work towards, and not focusing on what has held me back in the past.

I like setting three to four goals. For me, I can make progress towards those goals without feeling overwhelmed.

One way to approach goals is to set one goal for each area in your life. So you could set goals for work, health, relationships, and self.

 

How do you feel about New Year’s Goals or Resolutions?

What are you going to work on this year?