2018 is almost HERE and it’s time for a new resolution?!

2017 came and went faster than unicorn frappuccinos, squiggly eyebrows and glitter roots. I don’t know about you, but I sure am looking forward to a new year with new resolutions (and better trends). A new year feels like a fresh start, a clean slate and many (including myself) may be ready for that asap. New years resolution lists sometimes have a bad rap. Case and point = funny story:

At the end of January my husband was thinking of signing up for a gym with a buddy. When they arrived at the chosen potential gym, it was PACKED. He asked the trainer if it was always so busy at that time.
“Oh don’t worry about it. This is the New Years resolution crowd. By mid February, they’ll drop out.”

So how can we avoid being a part of the resolution “drop out” crowd?

What is the magic formula to being a completely new you by the time you are brainstorming a 2019 resolutions?

And what are the absolute BEST resolutions to help transform you into a healthier, more magnetic, successful, beautiful person?

 The ULTIMATE New Years Resolution List

How to achieve your New Years resolution goals (and not be a part of the “drop out” crowd)

Statistically, about half of Americans make new years resolutions and only 8% stick to them. Eight percent! So, what do those few do that others don’t?

Different studies disagree with how long it takes to develop a habit. There’s the 21 day theory…86, 90, 60 and one that even said it could be 250 days.

So, how long does it take? I have some intense experience with creating habits. In fact, these habits meant the success or failure of my small business. I had a list of 5 things I wanted to do every single day. At first, it seemed IMPOSSIBLE. Today, I do those five things religiously, like breathing. What changed?

Below I have listed 5 solid ways to achieve your goals. This advice has not come from a single night of research online but four years of obsessive daily self improvement book reading, podcasts, attending self-improvement events and in addition, how goal achieving applies not in theory but in real life.

1. Choose your goals very wisely. Make sure the goals you have chosen are S.M.A.R.T.: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. This is key. The best way to do this is have an end goal and then have simple daily habits every single day that will get you to that goal. Maybe you set the goal of eating only healthy foods but by the end of day 3, you want to eat every single sweet thing in sight. Remember, you are running a marathon, not a sprint. Work on being real with yourself and taking small steps forward. Maybe try replacing one meal with something healthy like a lean protein (chicken) and two vegetables. Try that for a few months, then try another meal or maybe try cutting out extra bad calories in small increments like soda, or sweets.
2. Have a big WHY. If the reason you want to loose weight is just to have a rockin’ bod in a bikini by summer then you likely will not achieve your goal. There isn’t much substance to this reason. If the reason is because you feel very strongly about changing your lifestyle even if you have to go through some failing, you are determined to put in the work and you will surround yourself with people and an environment to succeed (friends that don’t beg you to grab a big mac with them) then you are very likely to achieve your goal. Dig deep and find some solid reasons (that will really drive you) why you want to achieve your goal.
3. Once you’ve decided on your daily habits, go 1-0 every single day. If you want to loose weight, then you’ve probably decided to eat healthy, exercise, drink more water and take a multivitamin. Do these four small things every day. If you eat poorly for one meal, dust off any and all guilt. The next time you put food in your mouth, try to be healthier and then next time and so on. Keep trying, don’t give up and have grace with yourself. You WILL have failures. The 8% are just those who had more failure, kept getting up, getting better and tried each day to go 1-0. Make sure to check out the free downloadable worksheet below and track your goals.
4. BELIEVE. Input the belief that you can and will do whatever small steps you have listed out to accomplish on a daily basis in order to achieve your goal. A good way to do this is “rigging the game.” Don’t listen to your brain. Tell it what to think. You are beautiful, worth it, a success story, a good financial decision maker, a non smoker, an exciting person, in shape, philanthropic, magnetic etc. Put inspirational pictures all over your bathroom mirror or refrigerator. Practice inputting belief in yourself every single day. Work daily on believing that you WILL accomplish your goal, no matter what.
5. Winners are trackers. By the end of the year, the optional scenario is that the habits you have developed require no tracking at all. They will be as much a part of your routine as breathing. Right now though, the best way to succeed is to track your progress and be accountable by that list.

The ULTIMATE New Years Resolution List

We’ll start with the BEST list ever. The top 11 listed were the #1 resolutions for 2017.

1. Lose weight or eat healthier
2. Self improvement
3. Better financial decisions
4. Quit smoking this year
5. Do more exciting things
6. Spend more time with family and/or close friends
7. Work out more often
8. Learn something new on my own
9. Do more good deeds for others
10. Find the love of my life
11. Find a better job
12. Drink more water
13. Do some volunteer work
14. Be more active, find a workout buddy, bike to work, take walks at lunchbreaks, sit on an exercise ball for periods of time at work.
15. Get debt free in 2018 or pay off one of your loans by have no-spend weekends, being more minimalistic (check out project 33) and making a budget.
16. Resolve any negativity between you and a family member or friend. Be the one to call first and make the first move.
17. Wake up earlier to spend some quality you time before the day starts. Read self improvement books, journal, eat a relaxed breakfast, and/or focus on your daily goals.
18. Read 15 minutes of a self improvement book daily. Some great books to start with (that will change your life) are The Compound Effect, How to Win Friends & Influence People, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Think and Grow Rich and The Power of Positive Thinking.
19. Meal prep more or plan healthy meals. Try Blue apron it’s awesome. It wont cost you an arm and a leg, you pick out healthy meals, they are locally sourced and delivered to your door. Amazing.
20. Get out of your comfort zone and try some new things like a new workout class, run a half marathon, take an art class or go on a road trip somewhere you’ve never been.
21. Don’t watch as much TV
22. Get rid of a particular bad habit like playing too many video games, stress or boredom eating, binging too much on Netflix, nail biting, smoking, or cut back on your alcohol intake.
23. Spend less time on social media (Facebook, Instagram Snapchap etc.)
24. Get better sleep this year: choose a bedtime that’s optimal for your lifestyle and stick to it. Better yet, read a few pages of a book before bed instead of being on your phone so you sleep better.
25. Do something extreme like driving a sports car, going skydiving, going to a shooting rage etc. (there are some really fun things like this on Groupon)
26. Cleanse and update your house/apartment by focusing on one room at a time.
27. Eat out less or buy coffee less. Make your own food to take to work a few more times than you do now and brew your own coffee and carry an awesome thermos like this one. 
28. Improve your relationship. Write out one great quality about your significant other every day. At the end of the year, show them your list! Go on more date nights or do more to show your significant other that you appreciate them. Improve your relationship by making a list of some of the best relationship books out there and reading them. Some of them include: The Five Love Languages, For Men Only, For Women Only, Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, Finding The Hero In Your Husband
29. Cleanse your wardrobe and make three piles: KEEP (what you wear ALL the time), MAYBE KEEP (what you wear sometimes), DONATE and TRASH. Keep the KEEP pile, place the MAYBE KEEP clothes in a box. Donate whatever you don’t take out of the MAYBE KEEP box for 30 days with the exception of seasonal wear.
30. Try new foods. Hate fish but never tried sushi? Do it. You may be pleasantly surprised!
31. Stop drinking soda completely, for a period of time or swap it out with La Croix or better yet, tea.
32. Get to know your city more. Go to more local events, tour the capital, visit as many “must see” places listed on the tourist website for your town.
33. Start a good skincare routine to help your skin’s health and prevent aging IMMENSELY! Check out Artistry’s Youth Xtend collection for oily to normal or dry skin. I have been using this system and for the first time in my life, I can go outside without makeup and not feel self conscious. Give it a 2-4 week try minimum and if you don’t LOVE it, send it back! 180 day, 100% money back guarantee. No questions asked.
34. Deep clean your car. Check out Amazon services for a car detail.
35. Print out your photos from last year into photo books to keep forever. Check out Shutterfly or Chatbooks.
36. Buy birthday cards for the whole year for the important people in your life, write notes in them and then send them throughout the year!
37. Try to eat less sugar or less of that one thing you really love but are eating/drinking too much of!
38. Be healthier and commit to taking your daily multivitamin. Double X is one of the best multivitamins that money can buy.  It’s made from their own certified organic farms; planted, grown, picked, processed and boxed all in the same location and shipped to you as fresh as can be. It’s the only nutritional company in the world that does this. Check it out here.
39. Learn a new skill. Take a cooking class or watch some YouTube videos, learn how to crochet or knit, take a speed reading course, learn a new language, learn a new skill related to your career etc.
40. Eat a healthy breakfast everyday and try to eat 3 servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

Winners are trackers

Print out the worksheet below and track your goals for 90 days. That’s about 13 weeks. Put the tracking worksheet on your bathroom mirror and don’t give up if you don’t have a perfect score. To be in the percentage that succeed with your goals, move forward each and every single day.

The absolute best personal development worksheets I have seen are by Darren Hardy and are based upon his book, The Compound Effect. (In fact, the Goal Worksheet below is inspired by some of his material.) If you haven’t read it. Do. It will change your life. But, you don’t have to necessarily read the book to do the assessment. Check out the AMAZING self assessment here.