So, I’ve studied up on motivation and have some tips for you to create some effective and doable goals for your New Year’s resolutions!

1. Make your goal measurable

If your goal is to “eat better in 2016”, you need to define what that means, or you may be unaware when you break a rule or two and the whole goal falls apart. For example, if your goal is to eat more vegetables, quantify it by stating how many vegetables you want to eat per day.

2. Your goals need strategies

Goals are the end-point, and the bigger and more ambitious the goal, the more you need to spell out how you intend to get from point A to point B. These strategies are your map toward your goals. For example if your goal for 2016 is to lose 10 pounds, your strategies should include details about how you’re going to pull it off, like when and how often you will exercise, foods you will or won’t eat, and perhaps breaking it down to how much weight you aim to lose on a smaller scale per month.

3. Prepare some back-up plans

Sometimes life gets in the way of our strategies and can leave us wondering what to do next. That’s when our goals are at their most susceptible to falling apart. If you have a back-up plan in place, then you will be prepared for those fragile times when old, destructive habits appear so tempting. For example, if you’re trying to eat better, but didn’t prepare enough food for a long day of work, you could easily find yourself making a food choice you might later regret. A back-up plan could include always keeping a nutritious food bar in your bag.

4. Network with friends who have similar goals

Sometimes we can be our own harshest critics, and it may be hard to see your own successes toward achieving your goals. Many learning theories suggest that when you see others around you succeeding towards a unified goal and doing similar work to meet that goal, it can improve your self-confidence in your ability to accomplish that goal.[fn value=3][/fn] For example, if you attend a group-exercise class and you and your peers all do the same exercises, seeing their successes can lead to an increased motivation toward your goal.

5. Take appropriate steps

Achieving your goals will likely require not only a change, but also some sacrifice. The amount that you have to sacrifice is probably different than that of the person next to you, so your rate of achievement of your goal may be different too – and that’s okay. Remember that it’s much easier to take baby steps than it is to take giant leaps. If you rush into your goals, you may feel overwhelmed with how much you have to sacrifice and change, and the goal may crumble. Part of achieving success with your goals is in recognizing that you will likely need to re-calibrate your strategies and back-up plans from time to time, and perhaps revisit steps 1 – 4 entirely.

Making changes and achieving goals can be tough. Remember, achieving 90% of a goal is better than giving up and achieving 0% of it, so go out and have fun with your goals, and be proud of yourself for accomplishing whatever you get through!

Happy holidays from all of us at Natural Grocers, and good luck with your goals and resolutions for 2016!

NOTHING IN THIS WEBSITE IS INTENDED AS, OR SHOULD BE CONSTRUED AS, MEDICAL ADVICE. ANY HEALTHCARE AND/OR NUTRITIONAL MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THIS WEBSITE IS FOR CONSUMER INFORMATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. SUCH MATERIAL IS NOT INTENDED AS MEDICAL ADVICE FOR CONDITIONS OR TREATMENT, NOR IS IT INTENDED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR A MEDICAL EXAMINATION BY A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL. CONSUMERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS FOR INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL RECOMMENDATIONS.