Moving Forward in the New Year

I’ll start with me.  I have successfully gone to sleep 1 hour earlier on a few nights.  I definitely feel the difference the next morning.  However, I still need to work on this as it’s not consistent enough.

Carolyn: Since I was on break for most of January, it was a great opportunity for me to start setting time aside for myself. I have been able to get back into a routine at the gym, I am reading at night for pleasure and not for school which I haven’t been able to do in several months, and I have more “me-time” to cook healthy meals for myself. By doing things for myself and having more free time, I already feel healthier and happier.

Kaitlin: I have been running 3 times per week for my marathon training and it has been going great. I haven’t let the cold or rainy weather stop me.

Alanna: I have been trying to make more time to talk to my sister on the phone and really be there for her when she needs me.  She has come home a few times and I cleared my schedule to hang out and spend quality time together.  I am even going to make a plan to travel into Brooklyn to spend a day with her.  We are all trying to take steps in the right direction!

Shelbi: The past month I have spoken my mind on a few occasions when disagreeing even with the people I love most.  It is not easy because I do not want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I stuck true to my opinion and stood up for my beliefs so I am certainly making progress!

If you find yourself one month into 2013 without making much progress, that’s OK.  I have found that sometimes the best way to move forward is to do some looking back.  Here are some tips on taking stock of what happened in your life last year that can help you become a better you this year.

Make a list of your major accomplishments from the past year.  Sometimes seeing things written out in black and white can put things into perspective.  You may be surprised at how long that list is!

Emotions count too!  Accomplishments are not limited to actions or tangible reward.  Emotional accomplishments are just as important if not more when it comes to being able to achieve goals.  For example, an emotional accomplishment could be that you were able to say no to something that you really did not have time in your schedule for.  Think back to emotional gains you had in 2012 and make an additional list.

Give yourself credit.  Maybe you made a goal last year that you were going to eat whole grains 3x a day yet you only succeeded at twice per day.  You may not have done exactly what you set out to do, but you should still pat yourself on the back for making a healthy change, and know that you are capable of taking that goal even further in the New Year.

Let your loved ones in.  Sometimes it may be hard for you to recognize how great we are.  Ask your family or closest friends to add to your list of things you accomplished in 2012.  I bet you will be pleasantly surprised with all the things they come up with that you missed on your first go at your list.

Now that you have looked back the past year, it is time to look forward for 2013.  Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post on 5 Steps to Achieve Your Goals for the New Year.