A global pandemic and local lockdowns may make the days feel like weeks and weeks feel like months.
The negativity in the air can literally feel like it is sucking the energy right out of us. However, with 2021 just around the corner and with no option but to look forward right now – many of us are still going to make New Year’s Resolutions.
You can easily Google the most common New Year’s Resolutions:
- Exercise more (at least 50 per cent)
- Save money (49 per cent)
- Eat healthier (43 per cent)
These end up being the same resolutions for the same people year over year – because only about eight per cent of these people stick to their resolutions.
Approximately 80 per cent of people have already failed by the start of February.
It is more important now than ever to focus on exercise and self-care. Here is a NEW YEAR acronym that will help you to refocus, find hope and achieve your goals and your 2021 New Year’s Resolutions.
N – Never underestimate your potential
Potential is your capacity to become, develop or achieve something in the future.
“Think big and don’t let people tell you it can’t be done. Life is too short to think small.”
– Tim Ferris
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
E – Expect setbacks and obstacles
It will not be easy; it will not go your way all the time. Things are going to happen where “life” will slow you down, challenge you and try to throw you off your plan. Just remember, that there is always more than one way to get to a destination.
Just because you get one flat tire during your journey, it does not mean you need to sabotage the rest of your trip by flattening the other three tires. Fix, replace, rest, re-organize, recover, reset – whatever you need to do, just do not quit!
W – Work hard: Daily
Hustle and grind. Do not expect different results by doing the same things you did this year or last year. Put in the work, step out of your comfort zone to get the results you want and the rewards you deserve. A dream is what happens when you sleep. A “goal” is what happens when you act. Do one thing every day that brings you closer to who you want to become and what you are working for.
Y – Year, months, weeks, days
Plan for the year (it is a year-long resolution). Make daily “to do” lists, weekly plans, and monthly activities to keep you on track. Take measurements, photos, and a written diary for your progress.
Being organized and the ability to see your improvements and consistency will not only help with your motivation but it will also help you by having that road map and action plan on what you need to be doing and where you should be.
E – Emotional connection
Stay grounded and remember WHY you started. When your “WHY” is big enough, you will find your “HOW.” Your WHY will keep you going on the days that you do not want to. Motion creates emotion – keep moving, build momentum and do not let anything stop you.
A – Accountability
Hold yourself accountable by sharing your goals and/or New Year’s Resolutions. Tell your friends and family. Ask someone to be your accountability partner. Join a Facebook group or find an online community that may have the same or similar goals. Remember, that it is not only what you do, but also what you do not do that you are accountable for. You need to make yourself accountable or your circumstances and excuses will become your accountability.
R – Reassess, reward, repeat
Strength shows not only in the ability to persist but also in the ability to start over. Reassess your progress, and even your goals, continuously evolve and grow. Reward yourself for the big and small successes along the way to celebrate and acknowledge that you are moving forward to achieving your goals and becoming who you want to become. As you reassess – repeat those daily tasks that have propelled you forward.
Whatever your goals may be, let’s focus on creating and maintaining a smart savings plan, start living a healthier and more balanced life so that we can have improved peace of mind and mental health in 2021.
Jay Raymundo is the owner of NRG Fitness. To learn more, click here.
