The Secret to Successful Resolutions

Show of hands – who else has made their resolutions with the same all or nothing mentality? Lose 30 pounds! Run a marathon! Organize my entire life!

You get the picture.

These are huge goals and what most of us tend to do is go all in. Salads for breakfast, lunch, and dinner until those 30 pounds melt away or until we are starving, miserable, “hangry”, and vitamin-deficient. Very likely that it’s the latter that makes us throw in the towel after 2 weeks.

So here is the big secret: Baby steps.

Embrace the idea that any step in the right direction is closer to your goal.

Replace just 3 meals a week with a healthy salad. Make time for just 2 extra walks per week with your dog, even if they are 15 minutes!

Are you trying to prioritize a self-care routine that includes an hour a day to indulge yourself? You are not failing at your goal if you take 10 minutes twice a week to read a few pages of the book that has been collecting dust on your nightstand. Or 15 minutes a day to play with your cat.

Start by defining your end goal. Maybe you'd like to spend more time outdoors instead of in front of electronics.

Choose one small step in that direction. Add 2 extra dog walks per week. Get it on your calendar and set reminders.

Be gentle with yourself. Know that a step forward is a step forward no matter how small.