When it comes to taking life goals seriously, no one inspires our office better than Stress Monkee guru (and Team Skechers expert) Alicia Murphy! Here are her tips on how to continue your New Year’s Resolutions all year round.
Here we are, good ol’ January. That time of year where many of us declare our unwavering commitment to making changes.
Yet, somehow when February rolls around (or maybe even sooner) we end up going right back to our old ways.
According to research (University of Scranton) only 8% of us achieve our Resolutions. What gives?!
The problem isn’t a lack of information. Nowadays, you can Google your way to being an expert in anything.
“If information were the answer, we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs.” – Derek Sivers (On point, Mr. Sivers!)
But listen, if you’re starting to slip on your New Year’s Goals, don’t sweat it. Tomorrow is a chance to start again.
Aaaaand, I have a little something to help you out.
5 Steps to be one of the 8% who nails the New Year’s Goals:
STEP #1 – Go Slow to Go Fast
If you’re scratching your head wondering what in the world I’m talking about, check this out.
One of the biggest reasons we don’t reach our goals is because we take on too many changes at once.
We create a massive “to do” list of changes to reach our goals.
We try to make changes in all different areas. Our weight. Our health. Our finances. Our job. Our relationships.
Phew! I don’t know about you, but my life can get hectic. Trying to keep up with all those changes in different areas can only last for so long.
Try this:
Focus on only one area of your life that you’d like to change at a time.
My favorite way to do this is have a “theme” each month. Maybe January is weight loss month. Then February is relationship month. Then March is health month… and so on.
I know it seems like it’ll take longer, but doing it this way means the changes will stick. You can totally reinvent yourself by this time next year!
Alicia works out in Skech-Air Cloud.
STEP #2 – Make It So Simple, You Can’t Say No
Okay, now that you’ve picked one area of your life, how do you make change happen?
You pick one thing that takes a small amount of effort, but will give you the most results.
By doing this, you’ll be taking some of the “pain” out of change. Trust me on this one.
If you start small, you’ll build up momentum and you’ll start to see dramatic results.
Try this:
Think about the change you want to make happen, and then ask yourself, what is the ONE thing you can do that will get you results? Remember, it’s got to be something that you know you can stick to.
Example: I want to drop 10 pounds. What are some things I could do (that I know I could stick to) that will get me results?
Brainstorm time! Write your ideas.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
– Eat veggies twice a day
– Drink 100 ounces of water every day
– Go to the gym 3 days per week (if this is your jam, check out this video for a quick workout)
– No sugar for 30 days
– No alcohol for 30 days
Make sure you pick only one thing. Master it and then move on to the next thing. Bam!
STEP #3 – Consistency is King
I seriously cannot emphasize this step enough.
The secret to success is found in your daily routine.
This is the biggest mistake I see people make when it comes to getting in shape. They quit.
The ONE thing you chose in Step #2… stay consistent with it, and you will reach your goal. It’s as simple as that.
We’re trying to create new habits here. To do that, you must do something over and over again until it becomes natural. And it will become natural if you stay consistent.
Try this:
Give yourself a time frame for your ONE thing from Step #2.
I recommend at least three weeks, but I like the idea of doing something for a whole month even better.
Example: “I will drink 100 ounces of water every day for 30 days.”
At the end of 30 days, if it still doesn’t feel natural, recommit and go again.
Alicia stretches in Skechers Burst 2.0 – New Avenues.
STEP #4 – Change Your Story
“…the body always follows the mind.” – Bruce Lee
How do you talk to yourself?
What “identity” have you labeled yourself with?
If you say things like, “Ugh, I’m so fat – I need to go to the gym,” then guess what… your body will believe it.
In other words, whatever you continually label yourself as, your body will work to make it true.
I’m stressed. I’m tired. I feel yucky. I’m fat.
Stop the madness!!
Try this:
Who do you want to be?
Write it out. Describe the person you want to be. Then act “as if.”
Start to act as if you are already that person.
Taking our example from Step #3.
I am a healthy + fit person who drinks 100 ounces of water a day because it makes me feel amazing and I love it.
STEP #5 – Find Your Tribe
We are social creatures. We long for connection (whether we know it or not).
You want to reach your goals? Don’t go it alone.
Find others to go through the journey with you. This is a crucial step; don’t be tempted to skip it.
Accountability and support are ridiculously important my friend, when it comes to change.
Try this:
Here are a few suggestions to “find your tribe.”
– Grab a friend who wants to make the same change you do. Hold each other accountable.
– Join a Facebook group.
– Tell a close friend or significant other your goal, and ask him or her to support you by holding you accountable.
– Declare your goal on social media. (This one doesn’t work for everyone, but it could be positive peer pressure!)
There you go… five steps to reaching your New Year’s goals.
Remember, each day is Day One. If you slip up, just start again.
Let me leave you with this – you can do anything. I promise.
Yes, change is hard, but if you can master the process, then you’ll be unstoppable!
On behalf of myself + Team Skechers,
We believe in you!
We’d love to hear from you in the comments below: what is the ONE change that you are going to focus on?
Alicia Murphy is a fitness expert for people who want to get ridiculously fit by training their stress response. She also trains Team Skechers on site at their headquarters in Manhattan Beach, California.
Through her totally addictive HAPPYness Hours, free challenges + virtual programs, she’s here to help you shake up your approach to stress—and learn to use it as a tool to achieve your health goals. When she’s not coaching, you can find her running on the beach or hanging out at Disneyland with her son. Meet Alicia + transform stress into your SUPERPOWER at StressMonkee.com.
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