The New Year is such an enticing holiday. It holds promises of a brand new start, a fresh year, who knows what will happen? It’s comforting to think about & imagine all of the good that could happen in these next 12 months, oh how life will be better. But, people often don’t stick to resolutions or the facade & magic of the new year fades away. Why does it feel like every year is the same? Because, nothing in your life will change, unless you make those changes.

If you have serious goals, you need to be serious about them. Why wait until the New Year to start working towards them? Just because the date now includes 2019 instead of 2018, that literally does not change anything about your life, other than the date. You might be more inspired during this time due to the feeling of a fresh start, but the truth is, you’re the same you. If you don’t start making changes, you will not see any changes. There is no right or wrong time to start working towards your goals, so why not start now? You can start creating routines & habits that you actually will implement into the new year, you don’t need a set date to change your life, but you do need the drive.

There are a million reasons I can think of for people to push of starting their goals until the new year “I have family in town!’ “But Christmas parties make it so hard to diet!” These are excuses & they are doing nothing but holding you back. You can justify them however you want, but you are just holding yourself back. People who really want change, take on the responsibility & do it. There is no reason for you not to reach your goals, you are the only person standing in your way. If you are looking to make serious life style changes for the new year, why wait? If they are going to positively influence your life, start now.

Here are some ways to get motivated now:

1. Make a list of your goals.

Take the time to actually sit down & make a list of achievable, rational, goals. Some goals may be bigger than others, like drop 50 pounds, some might be smaller, like, make the bed everyday. Those goals are both equally as important. You might make sections of your list ranked for priority or longevity. Make sure that your goals are do-able, so you aren’t jus setting yourself up for failure. Keep a list in your purse, as your phone background, wherever you will see it & constantly be reminded to work towards them

2. Keep a goal tracker.

Make a check list of each goal for every day tis month. Make sure to mark down wether you actively worked towards that goal today, check your progress, write down any important notes, & just make sure you’re staying on track. This way at the end of the week/month you can see what is working for you & how you might need to tweak some goals to make more progress.

3. Stop making excuses.

The minute you stop making excuses for why you can’t do things, you open the doors up to being able to do things you’ve never even thought of. Everyone has different goals, & the thought of failing to reach those goals is scary. But, you automatically fail if you refuse to even try. You might be doing this subconsciously, but there are enough hours in the day to do everything. If you have the mentality to complete your goals, you can.

4. Join support communities.

Chances are, their are a few people with the same goals as you. It can be so helpful to have a buddy & support system with the dame goals to help motivate you & keep you accountable. Check out reddit for subreddits such as r/loseit for people looking to lose weight. You can also check out your school & community clubs on facebook for your specific goals.

5. remember, you can do this.

You are capable of achieving your goals. The only thing holding you back is you. be the change you want to see in your life. Set examples, reach your peak. You’ve got this.

I wish you nothing but happiness & success from here on out. Start your goals today, make a change, take control of your life! I know you can do it.