Overcoming Depression and Anxiety to Make Your Resolutions Stick!
You want something so badly that you made it your resolution for the new year. We have desires that ignite our passion, and we are full of hope that as midnight strikes and a new year enters, we will change as well. We believe in the magic of the new year and that somehow resolutions will happen instantly and effortlessly. We want to feel better about ourselves. So why do so many of us give up on these precious goals before the end of January?
I would like to share with you a simple yet effective way to reach yours. I choose 2–3 as my focus. Any more, and I will be overwhelmed, which means nothing will change. My resolutions are pretty much the same as last year’s because they are big. I want to move. I want to build my business. I want to lose weight. If you have a big goal: to meet my soulmate or a career change, build in a realistic time frame for these things to happen. All last year, I was moving toward my goals. I never gave up on them even though I had setbacks and sometimes feel like I was crawling to accomplish them.
Last year when I set these goals, I wrote them in my journal every day. Especially in the beginning of the year, I took the time to write them out in detail. I visualized and described my new home and its location. I made plans and projections for my business. I described in detail how I want my mind and body to feel physically as well as emotionally. I committed to writing them every morning for months until I felt they were embedded into my daily routine.
I still journal about my goals, but now I probably do it 4–5 times a week, so no matter what I do, my goals are activated. If I don’t journal, I will lose focus and forget to pursue my dreams. I am always thinking: What can I do to build my business? What homes are available in the area where I want to live? What am I eating and when am I exercising? I am constantly reminding myself of exactly what I want. They are not forgotten in the whirlwind of the day.
I don’t waste my energy or time berating myself when I have setbacks. That just puts me in a bad mood, which leads to overeating and depression. I consistently focus on ways to move forward.
In the past, if someone annoyed me or if something wasn’t going my way, I would fall into a deep slump and feel defeated. Now, because my goals are activated daily, I redirect my thoughts and energy immediately. I ask myself, “Is this what you want? What exactly do you want?” This puts my focus and energy on positive, constructive thoughts and activities that lead me in the direction of my choosing.
My ambitions keep me focused and passionate. I can’t imagine living my life without them.
