This is the time of year when many people set resolutions to begin a new year. These usually have a self-improvement theme:

—I want to be healthier.

—I want to be better organized.

—I want to change a habit.

—I want to be a better version of me.

But there is an inherent weakness of resolutions as they are merely aspirations. Let’s examine an example:

I want to be healthier.

A person with this resolution might join a gym and start exercising every day, get sore or injured and stop going after a few weeks. Or she might start a strict diet and cut out all the foods she enjoys and then give up after a few weeks. This might sound familiar to most of us!

If you truly want this year to be different—and better—here’s how to make a plan work.

The first step is to have a wellness vision. This is a written document that is used to frame your goals and who you need to support you. The vision includes what healthy means to you and what motivates you to success. A wellness vision is unique for each person because wellness means different things to different people.

Some people want to be more active as a parent or grandparent. Some people want to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables into their meals, while others want to look and feel better for a special occasion. Whatever that driving force is for you, it’s a good one. You have a solid reason to start on a path to success.

The wellness vision starts your plan, and a plan is a better alternative to a resolution. Instead of an aspiration to be healthier, this person has goals that are measurable, obtainable and flexible. Her plan involves writing her wellness vision with specific points that detail what she wants and why they are important to her. She might even describe what it would feel like to not reach that goal or not even try.

Once the goal is established with good reasons for seeing it through, she decides what type of support team she will need to achieve those goals. (It’s hard to do these things on our own which is another reason why resolutions don’t usually work). She then develops her plan for a support team which could include a fitness trainer, a nutritionist and a primary physician to assess her current health and review prescriptions and treatment plans.

In this case, instead of a vague resolution to be healthier, this woman has a plan of what her goals are, why her life will be better by achieving those goals, and how she will plan her days and weeks to accomplish her goals. She has planned for accountability with a friend, family member or a member of her support team to offer guidance and encouragement.

She has set herself up for success by thinking it through and documenting a plan that is realistic and that she can fit into her schedule. She has included positive people who will help inspire and guide her along the way. And, she found ways to track her progress and celebrate each win—big or small.

Let 2021 be your last year of resolutions and your first year of creating a workable plan—with no quick fixes! We’ll cheer you on and celebrate with you!

If you’d like more information about developing a wellness vision supported by achievable goals, contact Lindsay Nauen at noquickfixes18@gmail.com