10 Ideas for your New Year's Resolutions

10 Ideas for your New Year's Resolutions!

1. Square Goals

As a family we set 4 separate goals in these 4 categories each year.  We get together at the beginning of the year and decide what goals we are going to try and accomplish that year.  Throughout the year we check and see how we are doing.  Just like every family, sometimes we do great and other times we have to work on it.  Getting your children involved with goal setting truly helps because they help motivate you when you don't want to do it. 

 Here are some ideas for each category that we have done as a family: 

Spiritual: Memorized scriptures, Memorized the Articles of Faith, and having family prayer.

Emotional: Date night with Dad, Wii Party, Football Party, Game Night and Holiday Parties.

Educational: Read every day, Memorize times tables, Summer School, Memorize States & Capitals, Learn ABC's sounds.

Physical: Train for a 5K, Train for a Triathlon, Exercise 5 times a week, 4th of July 40 mile bike ride.

2. Picture Frame Accomplishments

I like to not only try to come up with new goals but to reflect on what I did the past year.  Here is an idea of making a picture frame with ipiccy.  Print it and put in a frame. Celebrate what you did accomplish the previous year.  It sure beats giving yourself a guilt trip for not setting New Year's Resolutions.

My accomplishments: Girls Weekend, 5K run as a family, Rode the Boomerang at Seven Peaks(I hate water slides), Rode my bike 40 miles with my family, Started a Blog with 4 other great women, I tried and finally like eating tomatoes (Another huge accomplishment for me) Made a Movie Maker Video for my husband's family reunion.

3. Word

My sister Karalee introduced me to this idea that she found on this blog called one little word.  The idea is to choose a word for the year to live by.  I have done this for the past several years and it has been an amazing experience for me.  One particular year I chose the word "Overflowing".

o·ver·flow

1. To flow or run over the top, brim, or banks.

2. To be filled beyond capacity, as a container or waterway.

3. To have a boundless supply; be superabundant.

My husband had gotten laid off and had gone back to school to further is education.  I went back to work after being home with my girls for 4 years and things were so financial stressful.  I felt so overwhelmed with life.  I was tired of seeing the glass half empty and feeling like there was actually a hole in the bottom of my cup.   So I decided I was going to focus that new year on my cup runneth over.  My cup was so full that it was "beyond capacity".  It was amazing to go through that year and realize how blessed financial, emotional and physically we were.  My abilities were overflowing as well as my love for others and myself.  Check out her site it is a powerful opportunity to change your life by focusing on just one word for the year.

4. Quote

Choosing a quote is very similar to picking just one word.  Sometimes having a quote or an affirmation to focus on for the year can help you to see the good in life or to help you accomplish goals.  One year I tried to live by this quote.  That year I accomplished many fears including the fear of going down a water slide.  It was the first water slide I had been on since I was about 14.  I stopped having fears about my future and realized that my life was really good.  When I had fearful moments throughout the year, I would think of this quote and it almost pushed me to do something that I was afraid of doing.

5. Vision Board

This is another great idea that hangs in my room above my computer.  During the year, I cut out pictures or words of things that I want to accomplish during the year.  It is my vision of my life.  It is what I vision myself doing and achieving. These are great for teenagers and children so that they have a visual of the goals they want to set. 

6. BOOK

 

This is absolutely one of my favorite "New Year" self help books.  Cheryl Richardson gives you a goal each week to accomplish.  This is great for a book club.  My sisters and I went through this book one year and met each month to discuss what we had learned and what we had done.  It was so much fun.  If you have a group of friends who need to discover who they are or to have a little Life Makeover put together a group and follow Cheryl Richardson book Life Makeover.  

7.  Bucket List

Make a bucket list this year.  If you already have your bucket list pick one or two things and  accomplish them.  Sometimes we make our self fail with our New Year's Resolutions because we think we have to accomplish 10 or 15 things.  Just pick a couple and really do them.  Imagine if this was the last year you could accomplish your bucket list choose the most important one and just do it!!

8.  Calendar or Calendar Apps

Write your goals on your calendar.  Haven't you heard people say if it is on the calendar, I will do it, otherwise, it doesn't get done.  So here is your chance.  If your New Year's Resolution is to get organize set a few days a month to focus on small projects.  Organize the kitchen cupboard, clean out your junk drawer and organize your dresser drawers for January.  Clean out the toy box, underneath the sink, and underneath the beds for February.  By the end of the year you will have more things organized because you

set a date with small projects.  

9. Chains





Another idea like the calendar is a paper chain.  Cut 12 strips of paper and write on each piece of paper one goal that you can focus on each month.  If your goal is to get healthy try doing 12 separate smaller goals that will have you reach your bigger goal.  

Strip One: Exercise 3 times a week this month.
Strip Two: Eat three healthy meals each week for the month.
Strip Three: Take a multivitamin each day this month.
Strip Four:  Drink 8 glasses of water each day this month.

Hopefully by the end of the month you have set a habit so adding the next strip will not be hard to do. Again, take small steps and by the end of the year you will have made better strides to your goal then quitting after the first couple of days.

10.  Pick an Event

Pick your goal by an event and work towards it.  It may be a 5K, seeing a Broadway play, going on a vacation, a shopping sale etc.   Let's take the shopping sale.  Maybe your goal is to decorate your home on a budget.  You really want a new couch but you are afraid it may not be in the budget to buy it in January.  RC Willey has a 4th of July sale so you pick that event to buy your couch.  Now from the first of January to July you put money away each month so that in 6 months you will have enough for your purchase.  Now remember it takes sacrifice just like any other goal but you can do it because you have the event planned and you need the money to buy your couch.

Happy New Year's! 

May you accomplish great things this year!!!!

Jan