Alternate Perceptions Magazine, January 2025
Checking In on Goals & Resolutions
by: Stan Prachniak, MBA
The start of a new year presents an excellent opportunity for reflection of self and for you to update or set new goals for the coming year. A new year gives you a chance to look back on what has happened in your life over the last year and consider what you can do to make this year better, and then create a plan to do it. It’s a great time for a self-check in. Checking in with yourself can be as simple or detailed as you want it to be. It’s up to you to decide.
The first step to checking in is thinking about any New Year’s resolutions or goals you had for yourself last year. What were they? Did you stick with them? Answering these two simple questions will give you an idea of where you should start with this year’s goals and resolutions.
If you struggled with any goals or resolutions last year, think about why that might have happened. You may have to do a bit of searching to find the answer, or you might already know. Once you have figured out what hindered you from fulfilling your goals or resolutions, you should modify your plans to account for whatever it was that obstructed you. Reset your goals for this year with these modifications in mind. A heightened awareness of barriers that existed last year will assist you in fulfilling your goals this year! If you stuck with your resolutions and fulfilled your goals last year, congratulations! Now is the time to continue to build upon those successes. For this year, consider what might be an extension of those goals or resolutions. An easy example is the goal/resolution to lose weight. Let’s say that you modified your diet and began walking regularly in order to meet your weight loss goal for last year. An extension of last year’s goal might be to add running or jogging into your exercise routine for this year in order to become more physically fit. The idea here is to think about what the “next step” is for you, based on your previous goals.
Whether you have struggled with your goals and resolutions in the past, there is one thing that you can do that will help you succeed: You need to hold yourself accountable. A simple way to do this is to share your goals with others. Tell a family member what your goals are and they are sure to ask you about them and how you are doing with them on a regular basis. Another way to do this is to find a friend who has the same or similar goals. For example, it’s easier to talk yourself out of walking regularly if you are walking alone. Having someone that says, “Hey, it's our day to walk,” will help keep you on track, and by showing up each time you will help them reach their goals, too!
Freedom To Change offers a way for you to do regular self-check ins that will also help create a sense of accountability when pursuing the best version of yourself. For more information on the Freedom To Change materials, visit www.freedom2change.org.
