A new approach on keeping resolutions throughout the year.
By Seema Desai DDS, DS ACC
As January approaches, many of us start thinking about New Year’s resolutions. We evaluate our dress size, relationships, home cleanliness and finances as measures of our success and, by extension, our self-worth.
We make resolutions, believing this will be the year we achieve our goals. And by February, about 90% of us find that our new year enthusiasm has faded, and we have fallen back into old habits.
As a certified professional coach who specializes in performance and well-being, there is a wealth of resources that I draw from to create transformational success for myself and my clients.
I have five tips to share that can help you pick the right new years resolutions and how to go about achieving them. These mindset shifts and practices are present in my every day, and can help you make meaningful, sustainable shifts in how you live life, all while enjoying it to the fullest and turning down the stress that often comes with building new habits.
Align your goals with your personal values.
Understanding your core values and aligning your goals with them is vital. We may have many values, but not all of them will hold equal priority. Recognizing your core values can make your pursuits feel authentic and achievable.
For example, I once coached a physician mom who cherished her family but often overcommitted at work, limiting her time at home. By exploring her values and how they influenced her aspirations, she learned to set empowering boundaries and, ultimately, created the work-life integration she once thought was a distant dream.
Consider how your goals benefit others as motivation.
You’re more likely to achieve a goal if it’s tied to a larger purpose. For instance, my client from the previous example realized that changing her approach to work not only benefited her, but also allowed her to spend more time with her kids, which improved her focus professionally. Everyone won – her patients, co-workers, family and my client herself – because she showed up as the best version of herself in every setting with ease and authenticity.
Pick the right types of goals.
There are two types of goals. Means goals are specific but not always aimed at the root of what we really want. End goals, however, honor how we want to feel and what we want to experience. An example would be saying, “I want to be the healthiest version of myself” instead of “I want to lose 10 pounds.” Essentially, you’re getting clear on the identity shift you’re looking to create, not a hard and fast outcome. This perspective will lead to better results and help you avoid the cycle of obsessing over weight and food. This is because the emphasis goes away from the number on the scale that bounces around with hormonal and sleep fluctuations, shifting to the sensations and emotions of simply feeling better.
Use a vision board.
I used to dismiss vision boards as fluff, but it turns out there’s real science behind their effectiveness. Place your board where you’ll see it daily; our brains respond strongly to visuals. The Reticular Activating System kicks into play when it notices the visuals in front of us to help focus on our goals, making it easier to spot opportunities and remain motivated.
Find support from those who believe in your dreams.
Building in community, connection and accountability is key to creating and sustaining meaningful success. Friends, family, mentors, therapists and coaches can each provide valuable encouragement and resources in unique ways. Choose your support wisely based on your needs. Therapy is geared towards helping people resolve past trauma and navigate mental health conditions, behavioral conditions and substance abuse disorders so they can be more present in their lives. Coaching is designed to help take people from where they are and propel them forward to new heights. It is based on the idea that the client is the expert in their own life. Mentorship serves a similar function but is very different in that it is based on the idea that the mentor is the expert, not the mentee.
The leveled-up version of you won’t always be something your current circle understands, and it’s more than ok to build out your circle to be more inclusive of people who share the ideals and values you’re looking to highlight in your life. Don’t let anyone else’s limited imagination or perception of who you are restrict your aspirations or how you take action toward achieving them.
One thing that we often overlook is the value of reevaluating the timing of making resolutions. According to Kerala Ayurveda, the best time for creating new habits is mid-spring on the Gregorian calendar. January falls in the kapha season, which is meant for introspection and nurturing – not action. This isn’t to say you should actively avoid making meaningful changes in your life simply because the season isn’t “right”, but to draw on an important nuance: If you’re feeling a lot of resistance and simply not in the right energy for the habit you want to create, consider the timing and try again once Kapha season is over.
I’ve noticed that I feel more motivated and clear when it’s time to take action by fully immersing myself in the holiday season and waiting until February or March to focus on my goals.
Here’s to you and your success! Happy 2025!
Seema Desai is a dentist turned certified professional coach. She is the author of Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides and co-host of the multiple award-winning podcast, Happy & Human. Connect with her on LinkedIn and on Instagram. Looking for more inspiration from Seema? Check out her blog post, “How to Set and Achieve Meaningful Life Goals” at www.drseemadesai.com.