It’s goal-setting season! It can be difficult to find the motivation to build a habit or keep up with a challenge. Even getting over the hurdle of starting your resolutions requires a lot of motivation. Let’s start the new year strong with resolutions that last beyond the first week! It’s all about maintaining yourself and those goals.
Make a Vision Board
If you are a visual person, having your goals right in front of you is an easy way to stay focused. There are a few ways you can create a vision board. Print out images to make a physical vision board to hang in your room (or tuck into a journal, your current book, or your backpack). Or, make a digital vision board and set it as your phone or laptop background. Create something you will see often and have fun creating it!
Use Friends to Stay Accountable
Getting things done with a buddy is just easier! Plus, if they share any of your goals, you can work on achieving them together. Whether you’re tackling the same challenges or not, having someone to remind you, push you, and cheer you on makes even big goals seem less intimidating. Make a group chat with your BFFs to ask each other about your goals throughout the day.
Remind Yourself of the Long Term
Looking at the present and the smaller picture isn’t always a good motivator, especially if your goals require a lot of hard work and time. Take a step back and remember the bigger reasons for your goals. Remind yourself what these goals will lead to and how they serve as stepping stones toward even bigger aspirations. Vision boards can be so helpful as regular reminders of what you’re working toward. DIY motivational poster!
Set Reminders
If you struggle to remember tasks, create a digital support system. Set reminders throughout the day in your alarms, to-do list, or calendar. Avoid snooze and “remind me later” when they come up. Ignoring your goals is as bad as forgetting them!
Reflect on Previous Goals
Your old vision boards, New Year’s resolutions, and past achievements are great motivators! Revisit them to see what you wanted and the plans you made to make this year’s goals more achievable. Don’t let unfinished challenges or ideas discourage you, use them to improve this year, or bring them forward to work on now.
Show Yourself Compassion
It’s easy to get frustrated when things don’t go perfectly. This year is all about being kind, empathetic, and understanding to yourself. So if you aren’t where you want to be in a certain period, don’t stress. Build a compassionate mindset and put it to work when you need to change plans or adjust your goals.
