What You Should Set Instead of New Year Resolutions

It’s that time of the year again where we start to reflect on how we’ve done, the things we’ve accomplished and what we want to achieve for the coming year. If you have always set New Years resolutions in the previous years, why not try something new? For 2021, Linda Prescott suggests What You Should Set Instead of New Year Resolutions.

Do A Life Audit

Instead of setting a list of objectives that are not very realistic, why not start with a life audit? Okay, it may sound boring and tedious… but this could really help you move forward in your life. There are many areas in which you can conduct a life audit such as how you spend your time, your health, finances, your fitness level, your character, relationships, habits and even how much fun you’re having. Take the areas that are relevant to you and really look at how you are doing in each of these areas. How would you score each areas between 1 to 10? Once you have given yourself a score, think of ways to increase the scores. For example, in the Habit Section. If you have scored yourself a 4 because you are always late or noticed that you always procrastinate, perhaps it’s time you work on these areas. Make 100% effort to be punctual, stop procrastinating and be conscious as to how you are progressing. If you keep improving these areas as you go, you will realise by the end of 2021 that you have transformed your life as a whole instead of checking off a list.

Pick A One-Word-Mantra

Now, what is it that you really want to achieve? Whatever it is, summarise everything into one word. For example, Do you have your own business that you would like to grow? Your word could be “Grow”. So for the entire year, use the word “grow” to frame your mindset and to inspire your actions. It could be taking a course to improve your knowledge so you can grow your business. Here’s another example, are you looking at increasing your fitness levels? If so, your word can be “fitness” and every action will revolve around this word, from your food choices to the activities that you do to improve your fitness levels.

Let Go

Finally, before you open a new chapter, close the ones that will not help you in your next adventure. Do you have bad habits that you can leave behind in 2020? Are there people that have been toxic and putting you down? Or did you experience something hurtful? Of course it’s not easy to forget but what you can do is to no longer give it your attention. Stop focusing your energy and effort into people and things that do not help you. According to Dr Benjamin Hardy, there is a non-scientific method that could be useful called “Write and Burn,” or “Burning Release.”
Thinking about what upsets you and brings your emotions to the surface. While you write, you re-frame your thinking toward those feelings. Burning what you’ve written down is a helpful way of “letting go.” Write down what you’re worried about or what upsets you, acknowledge it, burn it, let it go and keep moving forward.