I hope this finds you enjoying the return to life as “normal” after the holiday season. The year 2025 is officially here, and with it, hopes and goals and excitement for what these next 12 months will hold.
If you’re like me, you take the turn of the calendar year as a time to “take inventory” of your life and create some goals. Unfortunately, identifying goals is the easy part! It’s the following through and making a plan that will see you through until the end of the year that requires hard work and intentionality. For this reason, I’ve complied a list here of some of the most helpful tips for creating habits that will last all throughout the year!
- Combine your habits. One of the best ways to set a new habit in place that will stick is to combine it with an existing habit you already practice. For example, if your goal for this coming year is to walk 2 miles every day, plan on doing it when you go to collect your mail at the end of your workday. That’s a habit you already practice every day, so while you are already outside and walking to the mailbox, you will be prompted to remember your goal and will be much more likely to follow through on your daily walk!
- Be realistic. A common pitfall of setting new habits in place is being a little too idealistic. Radical goals definitely feel more exciting, but the chances of being able to carry them out throughout the year are significantly lower than if you set habits in place that are less glamorous, but manageable! For example, instead of setting a goal of drinking 100 ounces of water a day, make your goal to drink an 8-ounce cup of water at each meal of the day. It sounds less glamorous, but it is much more attainable and still works towards the same goal of keeping your body hydrated!
- Be specific. I am sure we have all heard this many times, but it really can’t be overstated. A clear and specific goal helps us to stay focused on where we are going and helps us create a detailed and attainable goal for how to get there. It also helps us more effectively track our progress, which is key for staying motivated!
- Give yourself grace. Although it may seem counterintuitive to talk about giving yourself grace when addressing the topic of goal-setting and habit-building, it really is so key. One of the biggest enemies of progress is perfection. Our lives hold unexpected twists and turns, and we will encounter unforeseen demands on our time and energy. Traveling and hosting are privileges that enrich our lives but can also disrupt our daily routines and habits. If your goal is perfection in practicing your habits for this year, you will likely grow discouraged and eventually give up. I am speaking from experience here! But if you miss a day or two and give yourself grace to start again the next day, you will be much more likely to still have these habits set in place by the end of the year!
I am so looking forward to all that 2025 will hold, and I can’t wait to walk with all of you through it. What a privilege to have a fresh start, a blank slate, and a whole lot of hope for what this year will mean. May each of us grow in implementing healthy habits (and in showing ourselves grace!) in 2025.
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