How to Conquer the Resolutions Hangover in 3 Easy Steps

Well folks, it's been a little over a week since we rung in the new year. By this point, lots of people I've talked to I already feel like they are behind on their lofty resolution goals. How about you?

One of my super stealthy action plans for the last few years has been to start working on my resolutions mid-month. So far, I feel like I am pretty much on the money. You see, I've been hitting a 50/50 on the success scale this week and it turns out, I'm ok with that. Part of forming new habits is to ease into them. And like millions (billions?) of other people, I want this to be the year I get fit. So yeah, I've ordered takeout a few times, but I've also had some delicious and healthy home-cooked meals too. I have not donated any money to the gym (yet) but I have made it a point to do some squats while I watch cheesy romantic comedies. I'll chalk that up as a win!

For my mid-month debut, I've prepped 3 days' worth of healthy vegetarian meals and my medicine balls are packed into my work bag (does lugging them around count as exercise?) along with plenty of water and vegan snacks. Although getting fit is a noble goal, my true aim is to create more sustainable energy for my body throughout the day. This year I hope to accomplish much, and the only way I can do that is to take care of my body, inside and out. As I set forth into this mid-month power-up, I'll be keeping these tips in mind.

Here are my 3 tips to conquer the resolutions hangover:

1. Give yourself a buffer. YOU decide when you want to start. Ease into your new habits by aiming for 50% during your buffer period. 
2. Re-assess your goals after this buffer period. We can often get caught up in the holiday/new year hoopla and set goals that are not realistic (or frankly, just not that interesting) to keep up with the Joneses. Your goals are your own, and should reflect your reality.
3. Think about how you want to FEEL. Danielle Laporte preaches this method as an alternative to traditional resolution checklists. It gives you the freedom to create that feeling however you interpret it on any given day. Take it out for a test drive, and see how you like it.​​​

• Bonus tip -  Take a moment right now to cross of anything from your resolutions (and To-Do List) that doesn't spark any excitement. Arianna Huffington said that deciding NOT to do something is just as good as completing it (this applies to almost everything, with the obvious exception of health and hygiene and any other necessities to live). She crossed off learning a new language. I'm crossing off re-painting the hallway. See? I already feel more accomplished! Now you try it!

Here's to mid-month starts and realistic expectations.
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Cheers!
Katherine