The end of the year 2020 has given us a lot to reflect on. It gave us a lot to look back at from everything that happened in one of the most historic years. Based on these experiences and self-reflection, we have been able to plan our new year resolutions to equip ourselves better. On the other hand, a lot of us slack as soon as the excitement for the new year wears off. How can we stick to our goals and reach resolutions?

It takes more than just wishful thinking to achieve your goals and dreams. It is recommended to turn these wishes into S.M.A.R.T Goals, which is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reliable, and Timely. This is a method to make your dreams a reality by putting it all on paper to make it as real to you as possible. By having a concise plan in a specific time-frame, you train your mind to work towards that goal to get that sense of achievement. Furthermore, you determine the necessary action you need to take to get things in motion. Things don’t always fall onto our lap, we work our way up to our dreams through knowledge and action. Unfortunately, there are factors that get in the way of your plan, and one of the biggest factors is FEAR. Fear is the real enemy that keeps you stuck until you can look into its eyes, and be able to tell it “NO!”

“Our brain is not designed to create happiness, as much as we wish it were so. Our brain evolved to promote survival. It saves the happy chemicals (dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin) for opportunities to meet a survival need, and only releases them in short spurts which are quickly metabolized. This motivates us to keep taking steps that stimulate our happy chemicals.” – Loretta Breuning

Overcoming fear and negative thoughts takes a lot of mental discipline and challenging yourself. The reason why fear gets in the way and paralyses us from taking action is that our brain goes into flight or fight mode in unfamiliar situations, so it shuts down. The first step to overcoming fear is noticing the thoughts when they come up, following that, you can switch them to more productive thoughts that are in alignment with your goals. Most importantly, in order to train your mind for regular positive thinking, you have to practice that regularly. For instance, instead of dwelling on fears, doubts, pain, and insecurities at night, use this time wisely to reflect on the three positive things that happened that day and dwell on these feelings. Immerse yourself in these vibes, by surrounding yourself with optimistic people and consuming more positive content. You can always take part in volunteering roles that serve the community or even take part in short-term projects.

There are many ways to change your habitual thinking from long-term success in different aspects of your life. Our mental health and physical health go hand-in-hand, so it is crucial to nourish both. Our subconscious can be reprogrammed through mirror work, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), and daily positive affirmations. Affirmations are statements that are thought and/or spoken out loud which are always absorbed by your subconscious mind. Just like we feed our bodies food that keeps us healthy and alive, affirmations work the same for our minds. We feed our minds statements that enhance our self-esteem and confidence in our goals.

What are your resolutions this year? How do you plan to achieve them?