Friday, December 30, 2011

Tips for Resolutions in 2012


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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