How To Get Started On Your 2018 Goals

January 02, 2018

Last year Business Insider reported that 80% of News Years resolutions fail by February. If you are a gym rat like me, you see it all the time: in December you have your pick of gym equipment. Then by the second week of January, the gyms are so packed that you are lucky to get one 3-lb. dumbbell. Fast forward to February and you once again, have your pick of gym equipment. I don’t know about you, but I am determined not to be a statistic. So how are we going to do this?

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time…

To paraphrase a famous quote, we do this one bite at a time. Instead of tackling everything at once, start slowly. Consistency, not perfection, is key. Find one small way, no matter how small, to be consistent in your goals. Commit to sticking to it for at least 21 days so it becomes habit. Here are some ideas, no matter what your 2018 goals might be.

If your goal is to…

Manage money better

Try this: I find that most people know the area they tend to overspend. Choose one area — clothing, entertainment, eating out, etc. — and commit to using cash only in that one area.

Eat healthier

Try this: My nephew told me that it’s too expensive to eat healthy. Keep in mind he said this sipping on his second Venti Pike Roast. I told him that water is free. Commit for 21 days to drinking only water (to answer a question from my friend, no, Scotch with water does not count).

Make kids’ lunches easier

Try this: I stole this awesome idea from Pinterest. One mother made a bunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, froze them, then placed a frozen sandwich in her kid’s lunchbox  each day. (She says it’s thawed by her son’s lunch time). What if your kids hate sandwiches? As crazy as this sounds, try flattening the bread with a roller pin, then putting PB&J in the middle of the bread, rolling the bread, then cut into PB&J sushi rolls — I had a friend that tried this and she said it works.

Save more money

Try this: First, use your bank’s programs to help you save money. This may range from budgeting and savings software to programs that round up your purchases to the nearest dollar with the difference automatically transferred to savings. You can also use savings apps to painlessly save money. Remember, saving money initially is about consistency. Choose an amount, no matter how small, that you are committed to saving for at least a month, then increase.

The key is to start small — it’s typically the small steps that help you to build the momentum you need in to reach your goals. Now I’m off to the gym!

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