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Everyone stresses about New Year’s Resolutions this time of year, but what we really need are new solutions to problems that bother us. Here’s how to come up with new solutions.
Why You Need New Solutions Instead of New Year’s Resolutions
Imagine having this conversation with your spouse:
“I resolve to put away the suitcases,” you say.
“Ok,” your spouse says slowly. “When?”
“I don’t know, but I resolve to do it!”
Three weeks later, you stub your toe on the suitcase sitting next to the door leading to the basement. “Ouch! I really need to follow up on my resolution to put these away,” you chide yourself.
“I could have taken them down weeks ago,” you think you hear your spouse mumble.
“But, I’m too busy to take care of it right now,” you say with a frown. “I haven’t forgotten my resolution, though!”
Six months later, the suitcases remain next to the door. You’ve learned to clean around them, and frankly, don’t notice them very often. Occasionally, guilt nibbles at the corner of your mind as you think about your lofty resolution to put the suitcases away right after your last trip. At this point, you’ll need them in a few weeks, so you might as well wait until after your next trip to put them away.
Sound silly? Absolutely! But the word ‘resolve’ doesn’t mean to do. Instead of wasting energy making (and never keeping) New Year’s Resolutions, we need a different plan to make progress in our lives.
We need new solutions to old problems. Most of us already know what areas of our lives we’d like to improve. Maybe we want to lose weight, get healthier, or use our time more effectively. And those vague ideas make great-sounding New Year’s resolutions. But they are about as effective as resolving to put away a suitcase.
New solutions, on the other hand, allow us to look at problems differently and come up with not only our motivation but a plan for success. Today’s podcast will lead you through six steps to ditch your resolutions and start forming new solutions. If you put these into practice, you’ll find yourself energized by your successes and ready to formulate more new solutions.
Show Notes
Here’s a series on goal-setting and habit-forming that will help you.
If you’ve never heard of the after-action review concept, this post will help.
Come Back Next Week
Join me next week when I talk about how to get angry without losing your cool.
Well, when you put it that way, I definitely see the futility of resolutions! 🙂 Great points, Anita. We need strategies, not just intentions. I’ve been working on strategies this weekend for my word Release for 2022. For January, it means being silent more often instead of having to overexplain everything (and my husband is sure to appreciate that, if I can pull it off, lol).
Resolutions = re solutions. And don’t we all need to re solution certain things in our lives Anita! Great post!
Bless you,
Jennifer
Tea With Jennifer recently posted…Are you addicted to Significance?
I am not much of a resolution maker as I start making changes as soon as I decide to make them….not on some arbitrary calendar day! Although, post-holiday over-eating is a great time to refocus on healthier lifestyle choices. I prefer to have a focus word for the year which helps to keep me grounded and maintain proper perspective. This year, my word is Elevate! Wishing you all the best in the new year, my friend!
Shelbee
I have chosen a word for the year, and my resolve and the solutions that need implementation in my year get wrapped up in that word!
Happy 2022, Anita!
Michele+Morin recently posted…What is the Meaning and the Method of True Rest?
I found this interesting to think on, Anita. Resolutions have not changed anything in my life. But when I have take time to think about what I want to change, or do, and come up with a plan I then have a much better success rate. It all starts with creating a plan.
This is good advice. Resolutions on their own don’t accomplish much but if we can plan specific steps towards the changes we want to make there is a much greater chance of success. This year I’m trying to take some time to reflect each week to keep my goals in mind and see if there are changes I need to make to how I’m trying to achieve them.
Boy, your example conversation on resolutions really made me think!
So true about resolutions. Intentions are good beginnings, but without a plan to carry them out, they just stay intentions.
Barbara Harper recently posted…When God Changes Your Plans
Hi, Anita.
I’ve never been one to make resolutions. Goals, yes–and strategies are a key part of goal setting You’ve made some great points.
Blessings,
Tammy
Can I say that the example of the conversation sounds like many that wives have with their husbands? People laughingly refer to it as husband time but it’s saying you’ll do something and then taking forever to do it. What was the point? Which drives home the point of making resolutions. The intention has to be there as well as the (timely) follow-through.
Thought provoking – which you do often.
Great podcast, Anita! Your hacks make so much sense! I had never thought about using an interim crutch before to help create better habits. Thanks for that! I haven’t tried making (and keeping) resolutions in years. Your thoughts here confirm my decision to move away from that practice. 🙂