With 2019 in full swing, now is a common time for many people to be implementing their new year's resolutions. Before you fall into the resolution trap, however, maybe it's time to rethink the way you set your goals for the new year.
Specifically, instead of setting specific resolutions for 2019, why not choose a few words that you'd like to center your focus around in the new year?
Why Resolutions Aren't Always the Solution
We've all been there. We set a lofty resolution for 2019, such as losing 20 pounds or running a marathon—and then we've given up on it just as quickly as we made it. If this vicious cycle sounds familiar, you're not alone. Unfortunately, about 80% of new year's resolutions typically fail by February. So why do we even bother, year after year, to set ourselves up for failure?
Consider a New Spin on Resolutions This Year
Rather than setting a specific goal to achieve in 2019, why not consider a new spin on new year's resolutions by choosing a few words that you'd like to center yourself around this year? Unlike resolutions (which are often focused on a specific aspect of life), these words can apply to many different facets of your life and can therefore have a bigger impact on your overall well being. Not to mention, if you find yourself forgetting them or losing focus, it's never too late to get back on track. With this method of self-improvement for 2019, you are likely to succeed! And as an added bonus, you'll find that you're able to use these words to better prioritize your time, make decisions, and keep yourself focused on the things that matter most to you throughout 2019 and beyond.
Reinforcing Your Words For 2019
Consider, for example, that you'd like to spend more time with family in 2019. Rather than setting a resolution to have dinner with your relatives every Sunday (which is likely to be unsustainable throughout the entire year), you could instead choose "family" as a focus word. As a result, you may make more time to make phone calls to family members, drop by their houses, and schedule outings together without feeling "forced" to stick to a rigid schedule.
Once you've chosen your focus words for 2019, you'll want to find ways to keep them "front and center" in your mind so that you don't forget about them. The key is to be constantly reminded of them in some way that works for you. You might consider, for example, writing them down on an index card that you keep clipped to the visor on your car—especially if you have a daily commute that will ensure you see the card each day. Some other options for reminding yourself about these words include:
- writing them on your mirror with dry erase marker,
- journaling about them once a week or two,
- writing them down in your daily planner, or
- setting regular reminders on your phone.
No matter which method you end up going with, the important thing is that you keep the words you've chosen fresh in your mind all throughout the year so you don't lose focus.
While it may be tempting to set some specific new year's resolutions for 2019, this method of self-improvement is much more sustainable for many—and you may find that these focus words lead to major life improvement. So, now that you have a better idea of how to use focus words in 2019, which ones will you choose to center your life around?
