Let’s not do the same thing as last year, shall we?

I know, I know, it’s that time of year again where we decide to turn over a new leaf and erase bad habits. Well, I agree! There is always room to improve one’s self and the way we conduct our lives, manage our finances, or maybe even eat better. But while all of that is great, let’s talk about lifestyle.

A change in lifestyle is always the best solution to any problem. It is not a quick fix, a get rich scheme, or establishing goals that are unrealistic or unattainable. Yes, we’d all love to go to the moon and be an astronaut. We might even decide we want to play in the NFL. But let’s face it, some goals are simply unattainable for the majority of the population. Yet every year we set these unrealistic goals for ourselves that leave us downright depressed and unmotivated!

Ask me why? Why do we do this? Well, the answer is simple! We like what SOUNDS good, but very rarely what sounds good is both possible and reasonable. This is in no way to douse water on your dreams, but many of us make this mistake every year around this time by establishing the same goals we didn’t meet the year before or even before that. So for this year, let’s throw out the resolutions and let’s decide to make lifestyle changes. How do we do this. Here are my top 5.

1. Replace the bad habit. If you are going to stop a particular negative behavior, you must also replace it with a positive behavior. Don’t just simply stop something, give yourself a boost with a better alternative that will still give you satisfaction. Maybe you can’t go to the gym every morning, but you can certainly find 15 minutes to walk every day or drink more water. Establish a routine, don’t just take away the bad behavior or you are likely to repeat it.
2. Set realistic goals. Again, going to the moon is reserved for a very small number of people. Maybe you are one of them and maybe not, but set goals that you can attain relatively quickly so you are motivated to reach for the more difficult but realistic ones. Deciding you want to be 6ft. tall at the age of 40, and you are 4″11 probably isn’t a realistic goal. So be mindful the pressure you put on yourself when you establish goals that are out of reach.
3. Stop comparing yourself. The journey you are on is only meant for you. If your classmate or colleague is more successful at a rate faster than you, its ok! And you have to be ok with that. No journey is the same and to compare yourself to others only means you are trying to go on a trip to which you were not invited to attend. Stay in your own lane and focus on the road ahead of you for that road goes much farther than you know, but you won’t know if you are on the wrong road.
4. Hold yourself accountable. If you want to make changes in your lifestyle, you have to hold yourself accountable and accept the consequences. Making change isn’t easy, but unless you are in grade school, no one is going to make sure you accomplish your goals, but you. Be your own supervisor. Set goals and hold yourself accountable to reach them. No one cares about your passion more than you, so be accountable to yourself.
5. Don’t be easily influenced. Every time you get ready to make positive change, don’t you feel like others around you are sent to pull you off track? If you try to stop drinking, there always a “oh just have one drink, it won’t hurt” kind of friend. But the truth is, you hold all the power. If you can’t control anything else in the world, you can most certainly control yourself and the influences you expose yourself to and are influenced by on a regular basis. Be the leader in your own personal world. YOU make the decisions not anyone else.