The countdown continues here at I Resolve To . . . Just 19 days until the New Year. With that in mind, I continue my 45-day run up to the New Year, by publishing my 'Best Of' columns since founding I Resolve To . . . in 2005. To view the complete list of my favorite articles, please visit Kim Simpson at Ezine Articles. If you plan to do a little brainstorming, feel free to use the I Resolve To . . . Work Sheet. Today's food for thought . . .
New Year Resolution Tips: Schedule Your Resolution! (Re-Print)
If you want keep your dreams, resolutions and daily goals front and center, pencil them in on your calendar each and every day! Without that simple, vitally important habit, your 'In Box' will rule your life. Worse, your dreams, resolutions and goals will hit the back burner. Eventually you will give up out of sheer frustration. A 'calendar habit' can be as fancy or simple as you want to make it. There are so many different options from which you can choose: The calendar program on your computer, a large wall calendar, a leather organizer, a Blog – whatever is easy, organized and works best for you. To make a calendar habit work efficiently, you need to choose a calendar makes you happy, build a plan that defines your daily tasks and goals, pencil them in every week, and review them every day.
Personally I use a leather organizer, my blogs, and a wall calendar to track my resolutions and daily goals to exercise, write, be kind, help the environment, and raise money for breast cancer research (a few of my resolutions). Each weekend, I 'Check In'. I Review and chart my progress, brainstorm new ideas, and add new daily tasks for the week to come. It keeps me accountable and on track because I constantly am reminded of 'what I have done and what I need to do'. I have discovered that, sometimes, you also need to step back from all the planning and doing, so that you can catch your breath, take a break, and avoid burn-out. In the Fall of 2006, for instance, I took a break from my Lifetime Resolution to exercise for 30-minutes each day and a few other priorities. It paid off. I came roaring back a couple months later, refreshed and ready to go in 2007 and 2008.
If you take a break the trick is to avoid getting too comfortable with your time off. Your dreams, resolutions and goals, permanently, could hit he back burner if you're not careful. When I took my 2006 time out my calendars served as a reminder that it was time to get moving again. Before I put my plans on hold, I was careful to review and update my strategy, calendars, deadlines, and next steps. I knew exactly what I had done and what I needed to do, so I was able to pick right back up where I left off with my daily goals, and brainstorm the new ideas that would take my dreams to the next level. Bottom line: Keep your calendar, timeline, and written plan handy, where you can review it every day and Check In at least once each week to maintain accountability. Your resolution is a work in progress. It can become a Lifetime Resolution if you work at it passionately, patiently, and with tireless persistence.
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