Goals vs. Resolutions

Here we are, December 2019. Wasn’t it just 2017? It is crazy how fast these years are going by. I remember, as a kid, my parents telling me not to wish my life away. Now all I do is wish life would slow down a bit.

With the new year upon us, I am sure many of you have thought about New Year’s resolutions. However, may I suggest that instead of resolutions, you consider setting goals. Wait, you may be shaking your head and thinking, aren’t these the same thing? Actually, no, they are not. According to the dictionary, a resolution is a firm decision to do or not to do something. It is a statement of what you want to change. A goal involves setting, planning, preparing, and taking action. For example, a pretty common resolution is “I want to lose weight.” To change this from a resolution to a goal, you need an action plan. What do you need to do to reach that goal? How are you going to change your eating habits? What kind of exercise will you do? How many times a week will you exercise. Remember, a goal must be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Relevant, and Time-Based. It is why I choose to make goals instead of resolutions. It simply works better for me.

Each year, around the 30th or 31st of December, I break out a new notebook and write down my goals. No goal is too big or too small. I break them down into four categories – Personal -Financial-Household-Recreation. Within those categories, I have subcategories. For instance, under Personal, I have health and fitness, this blog, relationships, and self-care. Recreation is broken down into trips I want to take, places I want to see, scrapbooking, and reading. Household is broken down room by room with what I want to change or fix in that room. Each goal is assigned a due date. I have found this helps me stay on track with my goals.

Furthermore, each month, I write down three big things I want to accomplish for that month and the steps I will take to get there. Every Sunday, I sit down with my planner and write my to-do list for the week. The items on this list will help bring me closer to my goals. At the end of the month, I go back to my notebook and see and track my progress.

I hope by sharing how I set my goals, it helps you in your goal setting. As the new year approaches, I will be sharing more on my goals and my goal-setting process. In the meantime, I would love for you to share your goals and participate in this exercise with me.

May the last 30 days of the decade be amazing!