There’s something so hopeful about New Year – a time for resolutions and fresh starts. But why is it that we so often give up on those resolutions by the time February comes around? We know that the primitive mind really doesn’t like change, so make it easy on yourself in 2023 by understanding goals, changing your mindset and breaking your resolutions down into small steps or habits.
Did you know that the process of actually setting and working towards goals makes us happier than actually achieving the goals themselves? I must admit, I’d never thought about it like that, but it makes sense. The journey of working towards our goals gives a sense of purpose and meaning to our lives which in turn gives us a sense of achievement. That’s why we so often feel a bit lost when we actually reach our goal with a sense of..oh, now what?!
So what is a goal? Well, sorry but it can’t be something that you’re doing already! It must be something that requires you to change and do something different – something that moves you outside your comfort zone because, as the wonderful Andy Workman says, that is where the real magic happens!
And we’re more likely to stay motivated if the process, as well as the goal, interests and excites us. If someone doesn’t truly believe they can be a non-smoker, they’re unlikely to become one. But if they decide to identify as someone who is a non-smoker and act as if they are one, they are much more likely to succeed. It’s not a matter of ‘fake it till you make it’ but ‘be it until you become it’!
So it’s about finding the Will to change. Thinking about Why is it important to me? Why do I want to change? And why NOW? Having a good enough reason will help us overcome any doubts or feelings of discomfort.
Then it’s about formulating The Way – What are we actually going to do to work towards this goal in a way that is going to keep us motivated?
‘Motivation is what gets us started but habit is what keeps us going’ Jim Rohn
In BJ Fogg’s excellent book ‘Tiny Habits’ he advises breaking goals down into tiny steps or habits of only 2 minutes to start with eg instead of having a goal of going out for a run, he suggests the first step should just be putting your running shoes on which is easy to achieve! If you then feel like going out for a short run, then that’s an added bonus!
So enjoy setting your new goals and the sense of purpose they bring to your life! Solution Focused Hypnotherapy naturally focuses on positive outcomes so if you’d like some help creating or working towards your goals, give me a call me on 07790 683403 for a chat to see how Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help you finally make that positive change in 2023.
