New Year…New You!
By Dari Dyrness-Olsen , MA
Do you want 2011 to be different? Are you tired of making New Year’s resolutions year after year and not sticking to them? Or… have you completely abandoned making resolutions for fear of failure? By the end of January, most people are back to their same comfortable habits- good or bad. Nobody knows better than you exactly what you need to change…you just don’t know how to change it once and for all. Well, this is YOUR year for transformational change. I am going to share my 7 Secrets for New Year’s Resolution Success that have helped hundreds of my counseling and coaching clients over the years. Anyone can do it and you can too!
7 Secrets for New Year’s Resolution Success!
1- Be specific & make your goal achievable- Instead of saying that you are going to “lose weight in 2011”, pick a specific amount of weight and a date that you will lose it by. “I am going to lose 20 lbs. by March 30th. Then make your goal achievable by losing 5lbs. at a time. “I will lose the first 5 lbs. by January 30th.” Small successes reap big rewards. If you make your goal too big, then you will be overwhelmed and give up. 5 lbs. does not seem as hard as 20 lbs. The slower you lose the weight, the better chance you have of keeping it off permanently. Keep in mind that whatever new habits or behaviors you use to lose the weight have to become PERMANENT habits for the rest of your life or else you will gain the weight back eventually.
2- Visualize & Verbalize yourself achieving your goal – Visualize or picture in your mind what you will look like at your ideal weight. Hang up pictures of you when you were at this ideal weight. If you were never at this weight, then hang up pictures of people who are. Everyday verbalize or say your goal out loud - “I am going to lose 5 lbs. by January 30th.” This lets the universe know that you are ready for positive change.
3- Keep a journal – A journal can be the key to your soul. There is no right or wrong way to journal and you don’t have to write in it every day. Keeping a journal can help you figure out who you are, who you were, and who you want to become. Write about your progress and figure out what or who sabotages your efforts for success. Find a pattern of what works & keep doing it. Success is a journey not a destination ~ Arthur Ashe Jr.
4- Hang up motivational pictures or inspirational quotes – Surround yourself with positive inspiration & motivation wherever you look. Hang pictures on the refrigerator to discourage you from overeating. Carry around some instant motivation, pictures, or quotes in your bag or car. Tape them to your cell phone, dashboard or desk. Give yourself a constant reminder of what you want to achieve, so you don’t lose sight of your goal.
5- Work together setting goals with a friend- Setting goals or working out with a friend or co-worker will help motivate you on days that you don’t feel motivated. You can be each other’s personal coach and hold each other accountable. Weigh in together once a week- that will surely keep you on the straight and narrow and away from the junk food! J
6- Hire a personal coach or professional counselor- Most people know what they need to change… it is just a matter of actually doing it and maintaining it on their own. I strongly believe in investing in yourself to hire a personal coach or professional counselor because this is what I do for a living and I see the successful results every single day at my center http://www.expressyourselftoday.com/ . Hiring a personal coach can be an opportunity to reinvent yourself and your life, unleash your untapped potential, make your dreams become reality, find a happy balance in your life, or navigate your way successfully through a life change. Seeking counseling is a way to overcome your life obstacles and figure out what issues are sabotaging your success. Many times our biggest obstacle is OURSELF.
7- Celebrate your success every STEP of the way! After you lose the first 5 lbs., treat yourself to a massage or spa day. Buy yourself a small gift or celebrate with a tasty glass of champagne. If you don’t have the money to spend, then treat yourself to a day of relaxation at home- take a bubble bath, read your favorite book, light candles & just RELAX and enjoy the day away. Make it a fun journey and SUCCESS will surely be yours!!
The number one reason to change is for YOU. You have to want to change and be ready to do what it takes. If you are trying to change for someone else, then you will eventually fail. For those of you who want to shed those extra pounds in 2011, diets absolutely don’t work. Once you stop the diet, you gain the weight back and more. Learn how to develop a new healthy way of living. Make changes that will be permanent. Don’t start something that you can’t maintain for the rest of your life. Good luck making 2011 your best year yet. I hope this NEW YEAR brings a fabulous NEW YOU! What is your resolution for 2011?
All my best,
Dari
©Copyright 2011 Dari Dyrness-Olsen All Rights Reserved.
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