By Cindy Loughran -
Many of us ushered in the New Year proclaiming that we’d drink less, exercise more, get organized, find a new job, have more fun and on and on. And, of those who made resolutions, 25% will have abandoned them by next week. And, as time goes on, more and more people will leave their virtuous plans by the wayside, many even forgetting what they were, never mind doing anything about them.
That would be fine except, with each failure to reach our stated goal, comes a knick in our self-esteem, a crack in our personal credibility and a deepening in our belief that we’re not good enough.
Before you give up on your New Year’s Resolution, consider these things to avoid and tips for how to counter them.
1. Being vague about the change you want to make and the result you want to achieve
- Create crystal clear goals and envision the outcome
2. Relying on willpower
Design the change process into small, do-able steps that don’t require ‘will’.
3. Taking on too much at once
Set priorities and make only one change at a time.
4. Doing the same thing you’ve always done and expecting different results
Change your beliefs, your environment, your support network and your actions
5. Moving away from something vs. toward it
Focus on what you want to do differently and keep your mind off of the things you want to avoid doing
6. Lacking self-awareness
Identify the triggers to your current, undesirable behavior so that you can anticipate them and consciously choose a different response.
7. Assuming that more information will be helpful
Once you have basic knowledge, it is your feelings, many of which are not immediately evident that drive the change train. Be aware of them and be sure they are on the right track.
8. Measuring success on a scale of all or nothing
Give yourself credit for and celebrate small milestones along the way to your final destination
9. Doing it alone
Surround yourself with people who will encourage and support you on your journey
10. Making changes because you think someone else thinks you should
Own the changes you want to make and be sure they are aligned with your authentic self
Cindy holds a degree in Communication Studies from the University of Vermont. She is a Certified Professional Coach, Certified Group Coach , Principal of CBL Associates and Founder and President of New Leaf Touchstone, a personal development business she created that employs at-risk adolescent girls in the creation of bracelets and touchstones designed to help people create new, positive habits and turn over a new leaf in all aspects of their lives. Visit her website at http://www.newleaftouchstone.com/ 
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