Can you believe 2023 is right around the corner? Neither can we!
Have you ever felt hopeless of continuously making false promises to yourself?
Do you want to feel less stressed, happier, and more in control of your life?
Or have you tried several strategies to bring your goals to fruition but unfortunately, they’ve never worked out for you?
Well…with the right tools, a positive mindset and setting actionable goals – you’ll be ready to relax, renew, and work towards a new and improved you.
A new year is a wonderful opportunity to start fresh, reset, and make your goals happen.
Though targeting your new year resolutions and making them stick can be challenging to do, it is certainly not impossible. The brain is a beautiful yet complex organ and setting goals sets off a lot of activity in the brain. It’s conditioned to seek out pleasurable and rewarding experiences that are short-term or rather “quick dopamine hits” as they say.
When you are unconsciously chasing after your desires, your brain’s amygdala (the area of the brain that regulates emotional responses) will do whatever it takes to achieve an immediate response of feeling happiness. So, it’s important to understand the difference between what you want vs. what you need in the new year.
Here are a few tips to help motivate and inspire you to begin making lifestyle changes for the better and staying focused on reaching your goals.
1. Start with small goals
To achieve sustainable happiness, start your goals slowly and consistently so that your mind and body gets used to new behaviors that you can continue to build from. In other words, “chunking” your goal into smaller steps will help you achieve them. You can do this by keeping a journal or a checklist. Giving yourself the ability to meet your goal in small steps can help you prevent discouragement and disappointment. Your dopamine levels will give you that extra pep in your step after accomplishing several small tasks!
2. Be realistic and make it measurable
Be honest with yourself with your current availability and resources you have based on your lifestyle needs. For your goal to be attainable, be sure to make it specific and measurable. By assigning a specific measurement, it will help you keep track of your progress. For example, if you want to incorporate more exercise into your life, set the amount of time such as exercising at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes a day. These goals should have a sweet balance of being challenging and just right so that it’s not too far out of reach.
3. Create a visual action plan
An action plan helps you determine when, where, how and why of your goal and what you envision it to look like at the finish line. This will help set yourself on the right path to achieve your goal and put it into action.
4. Create a reward system
The brain has a positive reaction to tangible and intangible rewards. Most importantly, if you are intrinsically motivated, then a goal is better achieved as opposed to reaching for a goal that is done for someone else other than for yourself. Whenever you achieve a “smaller” piece one step closer to your goal, treat yourself along the way as part of positive reinforcement.
5. Stay positive
Of course, something worth having is worth fighting for, especially when making the proper changes into your life. Be sure to focus on the positive side of things rather than the negative side, to not disappoint you. Believe in yourself and in your goals. Remind yourself of the benefits and significant impact it will have on transforming your life in a positive way.
If you’d like to learn proven methods that will keep you motivated to accomplish your goals and set new year resolutions that stick, Hypnosis in NYC. Want to start the year with a balanced mind and body, come see us for Reiki sessions. And, to continue that wonderful calm, balanced state, learn how to meditate at Self Empowered Minds. Want to know what’s in store for you for 2023? Then why not have a Turkish Coffee Reading. Self Empowered Minds is here to help you strengthen your mind, empower positive beliefs you have, and help rebuild new patterns in the brain to support healthier habits. Our services, support you in the best way possible so you may fill your life to the brim with love, happiness, family, friends, health, wealth, gratitude, and joy.
The Self Empowered Minds team wishes you and your family a very healthy and Happy New Year ahead!