How to make New Year's resolutions like a pro
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And no, I don't mean that it's almost Christmas, but I mean of course that it's time to start on your New Year's resolutions. Research shows that when you make your resolutions on time, they have a much higher chance of success. There's even a word for it: pre-resolutions, or resolutions that you make in December. I always like to do this with a vision board; a carefully curated collection of photos and words that I want to come to life in the coming year. And it works, because everything I put on that board last December has come true. Do you also have certain goals that you absolutely want to achieve next year? Then I have good news for you. You are not too late to line up all your dreams . How do you do that? Well, like this.
1. Get clear on what you want to achieve
My goals from last year consisted of my dream job, my dream salary, two amazing trips (one to New York and one to a tropical destination), little bits of happiness that would come my way, more reasons to pop a bottle of champagne, more fun events, and the biggest highlight: a designer bag. Please believe me when I say that I absolutely did not see how I was going to achieve all this last year, and that's okay. Step one is to clarify what you want to achieve, write it down for yourself, and remember: nothing is too crazy.
2. Make it visual
How you do this is up to you. Every year, I choose to flip through stacks of magazines and cut out everything that inspires me. This way, I sometimes discover dreams I didn't even know I had. What you can also do is make a collage of beautiful images you come across on Pinterest or other social media. The advantage of that is that you don't have to deal with scissors and glue that stick everywhere. However you approach it: make sure you can see your goals.
3. Remind yourself of your goals
My vision board hung above my bed all year. I didn't look at it every day, sometimes I even forgot it existed, but it does something to your subconscious when you hang your goals in a place where you can see them. It helps you make the right choices to bring you a step closer to your goals. Prefer to make an online collage? Set it as the background of your phone or laptop.
4. Get to work
That designer bag won't just come to you, so you need to look at what needs to happen to achieve that goal. Maybe you can look for a better-paying job, or a side hustle that allows you to save more. Or spend a bit more time scouring second-hand platforms where the perfect, affordable bag is waiting for you. Try to come up with multiple ways for each goal on how you're going to achieve them, and sometimes just let it happen. You don't have to have everything sorted out in January; there's nothing fun about that. So for now: get to work on those goals, and let me know how it goes!
