Having personal goals is absolutely essential if you want to achieve anything in life. You do it in work and would dream of not setting targets, and yet many of people don't use the same structure in life and it baffles me.
Instead, people make New Resolutions and these never work. You know the drill – enthusiastic promises to hit the gym regularly, eat more greens, lose that extra weight, get more organised, or maybe cut back on alcohol. All the interests of getting what you want, which is probably one or more of these things:
You’re back in your favourite jeans and looking fierce. In fact, your whole wardrobe is full of possibilities.
The bloating you’ve had for years has gone.
Every night is a good night now you’re sleeping better and waking up rested.
Your hot flushes have disappeared and you can’t wait to go shopping for jumpers.
You feel calm and confident, focussed and clear-headed.
You’ve found a way of eating that suits you and it’s easy to eat well, whether you’re cooking at home or are out for dinner with friends.
You feel ‘normal’ - like the old you but a better, upgraded version.
But how often have those January aspirations fizzled out by the time February rolls around? It's a tale as old as time – the grand intentions, the initial burst of motivation, and then... well, life happens 🤯
It’s not just you. New Year is a time of hope and anticipation, and it genuinely is a really good time to think about how you want your life to be in the coming year.
The fact that there is already a day set aside each year – it’s called Quitters Day – for the collapse of New Year resolutions.
The fitness app Strava conducted some research back in 2019 that showed 80% of those who made resolutions had given up by the end of the month and that the second Friday in January was when most started their inevitable decline.
So Friday 12th January then...
Why can’t we stick to our New Year resolutions?
You can probably imagine the biggest problems and I am sure you will have experienced them for yourself at some stage or another.
The initial resolution was over-ambitious.
You start off filled with enthusiasm but couldn’t maintain the same level of commitment.
I’d like to offer a potential solution to both in a moment.
To offer a little branch of hope right now, there is also a New Year’s Resolution Recommitment Day, which is perfect for anyone who slipped in January and needs an official day to get back to their goals 🕊️
If you never seem to stick to goals, you’ll benefit from re-visiting your goal-setting strategy. Knowing what you want is just the first step – knowing how to get there is as - if not more - important.
So how do you set goals that lead to success?
You might already have heard about SMART goals but making them SMARTER is even better (and a lot more fun). This means setting goals that are:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-bound
Exciting
Rewarded
I won't go into all the ins and outs of it and bore the socks off you ...
✅ Getting really super clear on your goals is a foundational exercise in my high level 1:1 programme The Midlife Method. We focus on this mainly so you get the space to think about what you actually want for yourself and your life in the broader sense.
This also enables me to create a truly bespoke programme that fixes the problems you have, whether you want to lose menopausal weight, kill your cravings, finally sleep better or nix the hot flushes.
There's a whole framework we're working through during the 12 weeks we spend together. You'll learn:
⭐ A proven system for losing weight without counting calories, points or syns
⭐ The easy way to make simple but delicious meals that keep you feeling full all day with no more cravings.
⭐ The secret to becoming (and staying) hot flush free and ditching night sweats.
⭐ How to wake up full of energy so you stop exhausted all the time.
⭐ Actionable steps to reduce bloating so you can get back into your favourite clothes.
⭐ Natural ways to improve your sleep so you get the benefit from the hours you spend in bed.
⭐ The fastest ways to reduce stress and anxiety so you feel calm and in control.
⭐ The secret to maintaining your results long term.
If you're still going with the plan you made at the start of the year (assuming you did), I'd love to hear what's working for you. Send me an email (just respond to this one) with how you're getting on.