Need some suggestions on how to set and keep goals for the coming year?

Being organized, setting goals, and staying accountable are the keys to a successful healthy life. Hopefully, by now, you’re reacclimatized to normal life, and you’re back to work obligations, family obligations, and prepared to take on resolutions or whatever previous healthy lifestyle you had before the holidays turned us all into monsters. Just kidding, just me…

The easy part? We’ve all done this before and have the sober reference and muscle memory to know we can get back on the horse and gallop into the New Year. The hard part? Doing it. Because I have become a master of restarting everything from sobriety to diets to work style to fitness, I’m going to share how I do it, when I don’t want to do it.

Find An Action Buddy With Goals

Get an action buddy. It doesn’t matter if this is to stay accountable with professional actions, start a diet, get back on a fitness routine, OR sobriety. Find someone who will ride that road with you. I have tons of action buddies. I talk to at least one every single day, even if only for five minutes to plan the day. Saying things out loud to another person, or having them advise you when you’re stuck is critical in getting things done.

Make A To-Do List

Make a to-do list for everything. And, for heaven’s sake, prioritize what’s important. You know what people expect, so don’t be late with work, take the Christmas stuff down before your partner yells at you, or do whatever you have to do to make sure your responsibilities are finished on time.

Set Goals

Set goals to hit. I have a fitness goal (to work out 3-5 times a week), nutrition goal (I don’t diet, but I regularly try to make my diet healthier and healthier), work goals (write another book, get more clients), financial goals (none of your business), relationship goals (be a good partner, so my boyfriend doesn’t leave me).

Ask For Help

Smart people ask other people for help when they don’t know what to do. I have a situation I had trouble handling, so I asked a colleague to get involved, and together we took care of it. If you need help with food, ask someone who has experience with nutrition and food issues. If you need help with relationships, maybe talk to a professional or explore a 12-step group that deals with that issue. Find people who know how to handle what you’re struggling with and let them help you. 

That’s pretty much my plan for everything. I have support groups for some of the issues I struggle with, I have action buddies, I have professionals and I have a vision for my life. That doesn’t mean that any of it isn’t subject to change. We’re changing all the time, and it’s important to remember that. But, I start with a plan and a picture, and that helps guide the way. Good luck and Godspeed in 2020!