Why I'm filing an extension for my New Years Resolution

I love the new year.  I love having a chance to start over and what better time to do that than an official new year?!  It's exciting, liberating, and rejuvenating all at the same time, however, we get so busy with the holidays that we basically stumble into the new year without giving much thought about what we TRULY want to change and improve in our lives.  Most new years resolutions are to lose weight (especially after all those cookies and egg nog) or save money because we are feeling guilty about using charge cards to buy presents that we can't afford).  At this moment my mailbox is full of weight loss offers, diet medications, and gym memberships.
Statistics show that only 8% of people are successful attaining their new years resolutions.  We all know that the gyms start getting empty in February and March, right?  So the question becomes how important is it?  Do we really want to make a change? If we TRULY want to make a change in our lives, wouldn't we think long and hard about what that will look like? Wouldn't we make a plan, ask for help, and picture ourselves having already attained the goal (research shows that people are more successful attaining their goals when they picture themselves that way or consider themselves a "non smoker" for instance.)
What better time to take a personal audit and make a plan for the upcoming year than January and February?  The truth is the ONLY thing that I really like about the Winter is that it's a great time to be quiet, still, and reflect on 2014.  Here in the Northeast, it's a time when we're forced to be inside and the days are shorter.  It's a great time to really think about what we're doing, how we can do better, and what kind of legacy where leaving behind us.  If we never figure out WHY we've done the things that we are doing than it's really hard to change the behavior.  For instance, if we know that we are eating unhealthy foods because we're feeling stressed, how can we create a life with lower stress?  Maybe it will help to look at the bigger picture?  Also, how much better would you feel if you started replacing healthier foods with crappy foods?  What would a happier, healthier you look like?  Don't they say that the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again? So, why do we keep making the same new years resolution without making a plan?
After listening to a million podcasts about productivity, self improvement, and goal setting in the past few months...I've come up with a few tips that seemed to make sense...

 Here are a few
1.  Make a 90 day plan instead of a yearly one.  Businesses to quarterly plans for a reason, it works.  Planning for 90 days is a lot easier than planning for a year, not to mention much less overwhelming.
2.  Share your goal with a few people.  No need to post on social media to everyone but confiding in a few people that are supportive and loving with help you in your journey.
3.  Aim for 80% goal.  If your goal is to lose 10 lbs, don't be upset if you aren't perfect and only reach 8 lbs.  The goal is progress, not perfection.
4.  Make it fun.  If your goal is to save money, you may be amazed at how many free things you can find in your neighborhood.
5.  Focus on how you will feel when your goal is reached.  What difference will it make in your life?
Michael Hyatt says, "A goal is not about what you accomplish, it's about what you become."
I would love to hear your ideas about how you plan to make your resolutions a reality!  How can I help you? Please comment below!

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