"This year I’m going to eat healthier."
"This year I’m going to improve my technique."
"This year I’ll become more flexible."
Most of us have probably set goals or resolutions for ourselves at the beginning of each year, only to experience some of those intentions slowly get lost in the shuffle as the year goes on. Why are some resolutions easier to stick to than others? What can we do to make sure we are setting ourselves up to succeed, not fail?
Let’s look at some concrete ways that we can set attainable, realistic goals and new years resolutions that we can successfully achieve in this new year!
1. Choose a specific goal.
Instead of telling yourself you’re going to eat healthier, pick one or two specific ways you can do that. Having a broad resolution might become too challenging or overwhelming to really accomplish. Maybe try zeroing in on a single aspect you want to focus on, such as drinking more water every day or incorporating more vegetables into your diet. From there, you can get even more specific. How many glasses of water will you drink every day? How many servings of vegetables are you aiming to eat daily?
2. Set a reminder!
Add your goal to your calendar or your notebook. Maybe block out a section of your day to devote to working toward your goal. If your aim is to become more flexible, try setting a reminder on your phone for a certain time of the day to spend 20 minutes working on your extension. You can even set a recurring reminder to happen at the same time every day to get your body and brain in the habit of making it happen!
3. Use the buddy system.
Everything is more fun with a friend, including reaching your goals! Even in these socially distant times, setting a goal with a friend is a great way to hold each other accountable and encourage one another along the way! Want to improve your pointe work? Challenge each other to do a certain number of relevés each day and swap videos to prove it!
Source:
Psychology Today, 5 Tips to Stick to Your Goals. Guy Winch Ph.D.
