Throughout this week I’ve been seeing a lot of good
resources for those of us who are New Year’s resolution goal-setters. So I
thought I’d do a post to let you in on a few of the ideas I found.
Before we start I do have one rant about resolutions. YOU
should be the one to own your New Year’s resolution….New Year’s resolutions
should not own you. So many people give up on setting goals at the start of the
year because they “failed” at achieving them in the past. I’ve been one of
those people. For me, the problem started at the “Making a Resolution” stage….not
at the failing point. Here are some ways I've learned to avoid that mistake:
1) Set goals based on God’s will for you and an
understanding of who you are. Your husband or friend may have a great
resolution, but if it is outside the scope of YOU, you will most likely not
succeed in it.
2) Set measurable and attainable goals. If you have never
climbed a mountain, don’t expect to climb Mt. Everest this year. Put a number
on goals that can be counted; set dates for when parts of your goal should be
accomplished. Be reasonable about the content of your goals as well as how many goals you set.
3) Do not approach your resolutions with an “all or nothing”
attitude. There is often much more to be gained through the process of
learning, than there is in the actual accomplishment. Of course, if you never
finish anything, that’s not healthy either. Find a balance. But don’t get
depressed by a so-called “failure” when there is something to celebrate among your efforts.
OK enough of that, although I hope it helps. Here are some
of the neat ideas and tools I found:
Identify a Resolution
Word or Phrase
On the radio I heard the DJ’s discussing resolutions not in
a sense of goals to accomplish or things to check off a list, but rather a
guiding principle summed up in a single word or phrase. One DJ shared his word
for this past year was “Deeper”. It was something that surfaced in a number of
ways, such as developing deeper relationships, and he would make decisions
aligning with the concept of the word. I think this is a great idea that
simplifies resolution-making process and still can help you move forward in
your goals. Let me know if you decide to give it a try (or have done it)!
This is a great perspective on planning for the new year by
a blogger I really enjoy at Keeper of the Home. She talks about getting away
for a few hours to pray, plan and set a vision for the coming year.
Resolution /
Goal-Setting Worksheets
I’ve discovered that many organization-focused blogging
types love these…and I can see their value, so I’ve linked a couple here. They
are worksheets that can help you hash out detailed goals for the year, setting
due dates, making assessments, and so on. If you are the type that is visual
and needs to have a plan completely mapped out, these are for you!
Customizable Goal-Setting Sheet that helps you break-up
large goals into bite-sized pieces (from MoneySavingMom.com)
This Resolution Worksheet helps you through the goal-setting
process by asking questions, tracking due dates and listing resources needed to
accomplish the goal (from Vocalpoint.com)
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This year, I have a lot of new things I want to learn and
grow in. I’m not sure just one word will be effective in helping me. However, I
believe in keeping things simple. So I am simply making a list…no charts or
deadlines. Sometimes those overcrowd my thoughts and keep me from gaining
though the process. To see what I have planned, check back on New Year’s Day!
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