New Year’s Resolution: A tradition in which a person resolves to continue good practices, change an undesired attribute or behavior, accomplish a personal goal or improve their life at the start of a new year.
It’s almost 2022, mamas! Tis the season for the revitalization of the New Year’s Resolution! You know the ones…where you promise that you’ll use the treadmill that’s been collecting laundry for the last 4 months. Where we promise to get more organized and finally sort through that closet. We promise that we will pray harder, fuss less and get more done. We assure ourselves that we will put boundaries in place, avoid distractions and get the six-pack abs that has been buffering for the past 5 years.
It’s that time of year.
The New Year’s Resolution – the promise that we make ourselves to do more, be more and appreciate more. As a productivity coach, I value the art of choosing goals and mapping out the steps to achieve them.
Christina Garrett
Habakkuk 2:2 reminds us:
“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it…”
The Bible is a firm advocate for writing down what you believe will come to pass. In fact, study after study shows that you will remember things better and focus on priorities when you write them down. Since Mama Kate is such a fan of research, let’s examine why writing your resolutions helps you to achieve them!
“Encoding is the biological process by which the things we perceive travel to our brain’s hippocampus where they’re analyzed. Decisions are made about what gets stored in our long-term memory and, in turn, what gets discarded. Writing improves the encoding process.”
Mark Murphy – Forbes Magazine
Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor in California, studied the art and science of goal setting. She found that those who wrote down their goals achieved them at a 42% higher rate than those who did not. Taking the time to write down what you desire tells your subconscious mommy-mind, “I really want this, and I mean it this time! I’ll keep going until I get it!” I think the Bible was on to something!
However, there is one problem with simply transcribing the goals at the start of a new year.
The calendar doesn’t change our character or our habits. It doesn’t magically morph us from a caterpillar to a butterfly-shaped Mary Poppins. Transformation comes through action!
If you are ready to show up and slay in 2022, grab your seat, a pen and let’s map out four steps to a more fruitful new year.
- List ten goals that you want to accomplish in the next twelve months.
The sky is the limit. Yes, you can change your entire life in only a few months. What goal felt impossible in the past? Write it down. What has been your biggest challenge and you want to overcome it? Write it down. If you could wave a magic wand, what area of your life would be transformed? Write. It. Down!
You are intentionally connecting your invisible desires and dreams to the visible reality in front of you. Some goals may take more than twelve months to accomplish, but at least map out the steps you will take to get closer to them.
- Identify the 3 goals that would make the biggest difference in your life.
It’s time to narrow down the list to what I call Legacy Goals. Only a few goals on your list will truly shake the planet and change your life in drastic ways. Are the goals changing the narrative of your family? Do you want to start the business of your dreams or work harder on the one you already have? Will you amp up your self-care and boundaries so you are pouring from a full cup instead of an empty one? Dream big, but with focus!
- Communicate these goals to the people on your support team.
Let’s trust that the people in your life really want to see you succeed. Your husband, children, loved ones, and even the Gather Moms community are rooting for you to win! However, they can’t help if you don’t know how you need support. Write down five ways that your circle can help you stay accountable to your goals and don’t be mad when they hold you to it!
My 11-year-old daughter had to chastise me one day. She said, “Mommy, you always say you want more help, but when we offer, you tell us no. Do you really want help?” Sigh. You get the point.
- Take an action step every day.
I hear you loud and clear.
Christina! My kids are running in circles, my house is chaotic, and I can’t get a handle on all of this! Take one step. Declutter 3 items. Create a chore chart for the littles. Swap childcare with a friend so you and your husband can sit in the car for a free date. Put the kids in the stroller and walk for your workout. Take a step. Any step. They add up. I promise.
As you wrap your mind around what you will accomplish in the new year, I hope you remember that we transform our lives through faith and works combined. Believe God for bigger and then walk in the direction He reveals to you!
Celebrating the woman you’re becoming,
