How to Make, and Keep New Years Resolutions (For Busy Moms)
New Year, New Me?
I am going to… lose 30 pounds, workout everyday, drink green juice, journal and meditate everyday, read 50 books and of course, wake up at 5 am every day.
This time I’m going to do it. This time, it’s going to stick.
Sound familiar?
It does to me. Every year I say the same things and every year, I let myself down.
Am I lazy? Doomed to a life of failure?
I don’t think so and here is why.
As Moms, we carry the weight of the world on our shoulders.
We take care of the laundry, the dishes, groceries, meal planning, cooking, and appointments.
We are nurses and sleep coaches, therapists, chefs and housekeepers and thats all before noon.
By the time we have a second to breathe, the last thing on our mind is self care, let alone a lifestyle overhaul.
The 3 biggest reasons your habits don’t stick long term are…
-Too big of goals (which feel overwhelming on an already packed “to do” list)
-Too many goals at once (deterring you from starting any)
-Not knowing WHY you want to achieve the goal.
The solution?
A complete gameplay consisting of small, deliberate change.
What does this mean?
It means that you pick 1 thing to focus all of your attention on, and get really good at it. So good that it becomes second nature.
This could take you a few days, but more likely a few weeks.
So how do you pick which thing to focus on first?
I’m glad you asked… First I want you to take out a piece of paper, or open the voice recorder app on your phone and brainstorm what your ideal life would look like.
You know, the one where you’re up at 5 to hit the gym, drink a green smoothie while you journal and meditate, you are your ideal size and everything feels easy.
Which of the habits light you up? Which one is “the needle mover.”
The needle mover is the one habit that leads to a better life with minimal extra effort.
For me, it’s fitness.
If I workout everyday, I instantly fuel myself better, drink more water and want to work on my mental health. This one habit leads to BIG change, mostly without extra effort.
What is it for you?
Now that you have your focus, we have to break it up into smaller chunks.
Take out that piece of paper and write the new habit at the top.
Next, write down every single baby step you can think of to get it done.
For example:
Goal: Drinking 2.5L of water per day. (Side note… The average woman requires 2.7L of water daily and the average man required 3.7L)
Step 1: Figure out where you currently do well. (Maybe you drink water when you are driving in the car, or maybe you drink a cup first thing when you wake.)
Step 2: Calculate how many cups you are reaching on a consistent basis and subtract that from the total of 10 cups.
10 cup goal- 4 cups consistently drank daily= 6 cups to focus on.
Step 3: Add in 1 cup daily when you wake up.
*Bonus tip: This is so silly, but if you struggle with drinking water first thing, eat a saltine cracker. Your mouth will be so dry that you will crave some water to wash it down with.
Step 4: Once you have 5 cups on autopilot, add in another cup while your morning coffee brews.
Step 5: Once you have that, add one in before you eat lunch.
Step 6: Continue finding more places to sneak in a cup or 2 until you reach your ultimate goal.
*Future blog post and video on the tangible ways to drink more water, coming soon.
Finally, you need to connect with your goal so vividly, that you can’t allow yourself off the hook this time.
The easiest way to do this is to think about your kids as teenagers (scary I know!) Think about how you want them to feel about their bodies. How you want them to eat and move.
Now think about how you feel about your body. How you eat and move. Think about the things that plague you that you would NEVER want them to struggle with. (Food restriction, yoyo dieting, hating your body.)
Are you setting the example they need, to grow into that teenager you want them to be?
I know this sucks and it is absolutely NOT about guilting you, but it is to remind you that what you have done in the past hasn’t worked for you. You deserve to make lasting change, not only for yourself, but your family as well.
Once you have that habit completely established, you can pick the next habit on your list, complete the same process until you have your dream life. And that is how you start your year right!
You Mom, are a rockstar for putting in the hard work, most people shy away from.
Thank you so much for being here and if you found this post helpful, check out the video below and subscribe.
With Love, Nikki
P.S. Check out my Healthy Habits for Busy Moms Course by clicking HERE
