For years, literally YEARS I have always said: “I don’t do Resolutions”. But in doing research for this blog, I actually looked up the definition of each word.
Goal: The object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.
Resolution: A firm decision to do or not do something.
A New Year’s Resolution is a tradition, in which a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior, to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve their lives.
Funny enough, it turns out, I have done both in past years, even when I was adamant I wasn’t LOL! I guess I DO have resolutions after all.
If you follow my Instagram posts, you have most likely seen my 2018 Goals. They are as follows:
- Finish my first Novel
- Run my first Triathlon
- Organize every room in my house
- Reach 1000 new subscribers to my YouTube Channel
- Lose 30 pounds
I used the Momentum Planner pages from https://www.productiveflourishing.com and once I had my 5 goals I wanted to complete over the course of the year, I could start breaking them down by quarter, by month, by week and even by day! It all depends on how deep you want to go with them.
The layout of the pages and the website walk you through all you need, to set your goals and honestly, they came pretty easily to me. I had already been reading “Your Best Year 2018: Life Edition” by Lisa Jacobs and by doing the exercises and worksheets she provides in the book, you can figure out your goals fairly quickly.
The 5 goals are simply what I am focused on and will be working weekly towards. Now obviously I can not control my subscribers, but I can do everything within my power to add to that number.
I am the type of person that needs specific goals. I can’t just have flowery words like “I want to eat more healthy, or I want to be a better person, or follow my arrow” and expect to make any progress. While I love motivational statements, I can’t plan goals around them.
On the flip side, when I set specific goals, I can also set myself up for failure very easily. A prime example is my training schedule.
- Monday: Tri-training & B Greater Fitness training
- Tuesday: A Run & Jeet Kun Do
- Wednesday: Kali
- Thursday: Tri-training & B Greater Fitness training
- Friday: Run either a 5k, 6k or 10k
- Saturday: Rest Day
- Sunday: Tri-Training & B Greater Fitness Training
My GOAL is to train 6 days a week. We are closing out Week 2 of 2018. I have not done 6 days of training in 2018 yet.
So, I have technically FAILED ALL OF 2018 ALREADY!!!
A few years ago, I would be freaking the hell out right now. Its 12 days into the New Year and I am a complete and utter failure. My life is over. My goals are shit. I have no reason to work on anything because I already fucked it up. Game over. YOU LOSE!!!
But what I have learned these past 51 years on this planet, is that I am also Human. I am not perfect, nor is the world around me and sometimes things do not go as planned.
Yes, I have an ideal schedule I want to keep and follow weekly. Is it going to happen every single week for 52 Weeks in a row? I can already tell you the answer is No. But I say that with pride, not discourse.
When I falter, I simply try again. And again. And again. Until I manage to make it happen. I don’t give up and I don’t give in, I may bend and I may whine, but in the end, I can not abide defeat, thus my tenacity and probably stupidity keep me on the path I have chosen.
I am committed to my goals, and my resolutions but I am not so single-minded that I cut off my nose to spite my face. Being kind is a priority for me, and that should start with the voice I use on myself. So when I do falter, I forgive myself and start again. Every morning at 5:00am is a new beginning. A fresh start. A clean page.
Ignoring the negativity we all have in our heads is the best resolution I can think of. Too many of us give in to it, listen to it and fall right back into our worst habits. Because that’s the easy thing to do. It’s the quick fix! Just ignore it all and go back to what’s comfortable. That little asshole on your shoulder just sucks you right back into giving up. Believe me, I have one of those…she’s an angry loud little asshole and she looks a lot like the big blueberry girl from Willy Wonka, and I fight her every damn day.
I am continually working to stay out of the muck & mire in my head. I can’t promise you it won’t get tiring or that it won’t stress you out. But what it will do is keep you occupied and focused on the good you are trying to do in your life, and you WILL see results.
My biggest problem is that I always want what I want when I want it. Always have, and always will. It is the bane of my existence. I wish I could change it, but deep down, in my soul of souls, its there and it rears its ugly head far too often, but I find ways around it and turn that laser pointed focus towards my goals, instead of cake. Usually.
I admit, sometimes my goal IS cake. I’m a fat girl. Cake is Life.
But after the cake…there are other things I want, like opening the box of books and seeing the cover of “The Wish Link” with my name on it. Earning my first Triathlon medal after I cross the finish line. Being under 200 pounds for the rest of my life. (Ok maybe the cake isn’t going to help with that last one, but I do things my way and again…cake is life. I will find a way.)
All in all, we are TWELVE days into 2018. Don’t give up just yet. You get a brand new day tomorrow to start again. And another one after that. So whenever you fail, try again. One day turns into 3. Three days turn into a week. Pretty soon you’re counting successful weeks instead of days. And when Week 52 comes around, you will see change.
THAT, I do promise, as long as you keep trying.
Whether you set goals, do resolutions or fly by the seat of your pants, I hope you have a HAPPY 2018 and that however you choose to move forward, you never give up.
Figure out what you want to do this year, and simply get started. I am right there with you…goals, resolutions and new days!
The Badass Valkyrie
The Badass Valkyrie 
Leave a Reply