We've all been there and done that. The unending list of expectations and plans for self-development and improvement to commence a new year. The season for all this banter is right around the corner. 'New year, New me', that's something we all say in a hope to reinvigorate and improve our standard of living as well as to alter and modify certain lifestyles by making certain deliberate decisions.
What exactly are the realities of new year resolutions? The truth is that the reality of this tradition is what you consciously make it out to be. Numerous studies have shown that a greater percentage of persons fail to follow through with their new year resolutions. A 2007 study at University of Bristol with a total of 3000 people revealed that 88% of individuals failed to commit to their resolutions. This failure has been attributed to the fact that these individuals fail to break their long term plans into smaller feasible goals or these persons reflect more on the negative aspects or they're simply lazy to work out these plans.
To actually meet up and even surpass our expectations and goals, there's need to make specific, measurable, attainable, relevant/realistic and time based goals. The application of ''SMART'' goals in attaining any level of success is applicable in virtually every field. Some common goals we look to achieve at the start of each year are;
- To better ourselves, either by getting a new job, moving to a better job, taking a new course to improve our knowledge, whatever the case may be, we need to look for ways to better ourselves in other to reach greater heights and transform.ify our lives.
- Dieting, eating healthy, and drinking lots of water, and at the right time.
- Staying fit through perpetual and diligent exercise at the gym, or walks in the park
- Making new friends, travel the world if you can, and even finding love.
- Financial stability, get out of debt, spend less, save more.
- Mental improvement, read more, acquire a new skill or hobby.
- Giving up of smoking and drinking.
- Less gadgets, phones, TV.
In making these resolutions, it's wise to ask the question, are these SMART goals? and if not, there's a need to reconstruct and come up with something better. An extra tip would be to evaluate and readjust but never give up. If you fail the first time, then try again and again until your goals are reached. With these few tips our expectations for the new year can actually become a fruitful reality.
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