Hello wonderful people, it’s the middle of January and I am finally ready to share my goals and intentions for the coming year with everyone! I earlier wrote a post about taking some time to think through my resolutions instead of forcing myself to be ready with a list on the first of January. I am glad I took this time to introspect and think deeply about what I want to do differently in the coming months.
2016 is going to be the year of the micro resolution. I first read about micro resolutions here, where Caroline talks about making small and manageable changes in your daily behavior which would have a long term impact on your habits. As I look back over my previous resolutions, I realize this is very true. It’s better to set smaller targets and actually make progress on them instead of setting lofty goals which you might miss.
I always set broad goals for myself every year (see my 2015 list here) and end up making little or no progress on the audacious list. However, I have found that I am able to introduce smaller and more actionable changes easily into my lifestyle. For instance “losing or maintaining my ideal weight” is a resolution I make every year, but I rarely achieve the weight loss I want. However, in 2013 I told myself that “I will do 100 suryanamaskars this year” and because it was such a specific goal, I actually managed to achieve it! Furthermore, as I invested time and energy in my yoga practice, I also became mindful of my diet, which in turn made me lose more weight than I could have imagined.
So this year, I deconstructed my resolutions into simple goals and to-do’s which I can include in my day to day routine. Hence instead of saying “I will save more money”, I have decided to “not shop the entire year” (yes you read that right!).
Another thing I have realized over the last few years is that I cannot do everything at once. If I try and juggle too many things at the same time, I end up dropping the ball on one thing or the other. So I decided to split my micro resolution list into four key themes across specific months. This way, I can stay focused instead of going crazy trying to keep it all together.
By breaking down my goals into micro resolutions and focusing on a few things every month, I have essentially created a to-do list for 2016 which is easier to manage and chase. You must be wondering if I have managed to stay on track with all the things mentioned here, heck no! But having a list at hand makes it easy for me to make a fresh start every day. I don’t know if I will achieve everything on this list, but if I manage to do even 50% of what I have listed below, I am going to be very happy with myself!
I also feel that creating specific goals is good, but publishing them as a post is even better. It’s like shouting out your intentions to the universe, making a promise and being accountable for what you want to achieve. Having your intentions laid out in black and white (or in this case, color!) can make it easier to stay on track with them.
So here they are, my micro resolutions for 2016, all laid out in the form of beautifully illustrated cards which I can print to keep in my wallet or use as a wallpaper on my desktop and phone. What do you think of my resolutions? Do you have any tips which might help me stay on track? What are your resolutions for 2016?
These cards have been created by me using freely available fonts and clipart from portals such as Smashing Magazine and free Project Life cards from their official website.
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