Don’t let people tell you that you can’t have New Years Resolutions. Yes, a lot of resolutions are not always completed… I told myself in 2018 that I would end the year with a driving licence, and yet, here I am, trundling back home in a bus every weekend. This does not undermine the other resolutions I have completed since last year. Being able to squat over my own weight was one of my personal favourite achievements. And yet, how is this discredited because I didn’t achieve every goal? One failure does not destroy other successes you may have.
So welcome back guys, new year, new semester, the first and last time we get to enjoy the year of 2019! I’m sure the majority of us, yes, even the ones who fail to admit it, have made some New Year’s Resolution regarding their health. This is not a bad thing! The very fact that you are aware that you’d like a change is the very first step towards feeling happy in your own skin. A New Year is a time in which you feel like you have the chance to make different choices and adopt different mindsets. For me, my biggest (and possibly my most needed) resolution was to stop drinking alcohol. Towards the end of 2018, I recognised that it was affecting both my physical and mental health, and I knew it needed to change. So, by allowing myself one last glass of prosecco on New Years Eve, I felt ready to change. I needed that New Year to spur me on to make that decision. 2019 is the year I am going to achieve my resolutions, and so will you!
If a new day inspires people to achieve what they want to do, imagine how a whole New Year can impact motivation! Every single number in the date, month, and year changes in the New Year. So why can’t we follow suit? So while we all have accepted that it’s okay to want to set goals, here’s a simple list of how achieving them does not seem impossible!
1. Keep your goals realistic – don’t fall in to the trap of idealism in which you are fully aware that the goals are unattainable
2. Set both long-term and short-term goals – you could even set a goal for every month!
3. Track your progress – sometimes you need to have a record of what you’re doing to be able to stay inspired.

“In order to make a lasting change in our lives, we must first change our minds. We sometimes forget, and we often feel stuck, but we all have the power to do so.”

Stay beautiful, stay smiling.

Anna.