How To Achieve Goals And Resolutions The Fun Way.

This is the time of year when we begin to look to the future and wonder how successful our lives will be in the next few months. We all want to achieve new goals, and there’s not many of us who don’t start out without making a New Year resolution of some kind.

And to be fair, most of us manage to stick to our goals for at least a month, or maybe two. But then life gets in the way, and our hard work gets left at the wayside. Maybe its because we never really expected to achieve that one particular goal, and sometimes we pick the wrong one to start with.

So what makes it all go wrong? First of all you have to understand that nearly all of us have a set routine that takes us through our day, and even into our evenings. From the second we get up in the morning we tend to do the same thing every day. Breakfast, work, lunch, home and then TV. Interspersed with the evening meal and bath time.

This routine has probably taken years to perfect, so its not going to be easy incorporating a new set of goals for the year somewhere in the middle of our hectic schedule.

So, what to do?

The first thing that you have to do to start achieving your goals this year, is to train your brain. What you have to remember is that your brain is a bit like a house full of rooms, or compartments. Most of them cluttered I might add!

And the trouble is that whether they are full of rubbish or completely clean and tidy, they are full of things that are in their place. And they have been for years. So what you have to do is find a place for your new goal, or goals. Just like any room, you don’t have space or you think you don’t.

The second problem is trying to incorporate these new goals into an area that will make your brain keep hold of them. This isn’t always easy. Imagine your goal as a grey blob that needs to be shaped. How are you going to start making it look interesting and colorful? Yes, I said colorful.

The thing about resolutions or goals, is that they look and feel bright and wonderful when you start the idea. But like anything else they soon get dark and drab. So, the idea is to make them memorable. You have to make your brain want to remember them. So the first thing we have to look for is color and fun.

Any idea needs the glue that will hold it in place. Just trying to start a new goal is fun to start with, but soon wears off. So you need an incentive. Take for example, that new diet. Food is something that we quickly incorporate into our schedule. Now you have to cut certain foods out, and add others. So it starts with the shopping list. Looks boring doesn’t it? Well, it doesn’t have too.

Instead of just buying fruit and veg, and lots of diet this and that, make sure that you add treats to go with it. it’s a fact that chocolate has loads of calories, but did you know that its eating it with your usual meals that causes the problem? I used to be on a diet, and I ate my food by calories and not diet food.

Cutting a long story short, instead of eating diet bars, I would make a huge salad roll with a tiny bit of cheese or meat. Eating this way filled me up, and it was a lot less calories than a diet bar! Trust me! Try it and see. Keep your calories low, and out comes the chocolate!

Buy low calorie cakes! They taste just as good! The idea is to trick your body into believing that you aren’t on a diet. that’s how it always worked for me! And of course buy loads of salads and add colorful vegetables, fruit and nuts. Use your own ideas, and the great thing about it is that you can eat as many salads as you like and lose lots of weight!

Draw up wall charts, with big pictures of fruit and veg, and stick a photo of you on there too. When you start to lose weight, add another one, then another. And so on. Not only will it brighten up your room, but will help your brain to learn quickly by seeing and doing. Buy that new dress or suit that's one size to small, and hang it on the wall in your kitchen. It will drive you mad at first, but after a while you will just want to wear it. And that is when the weight will drop off. Please don't try it on when you buy it, you will only end up looking like a sack of potatoes!

If your goal is to get that promotion at work, then you need to start getting your mind tidy. First of all clean up your desk. This may sound obvious, but you would be amazed at how many of us just leave it more or less empty, or untidy. Get yourself into the mindset that you have already got the promotion. How would you act if you had got that promotion? The goal is in sight, just be positive.

The majority of people will buy a new suit, place photos of their family on the desk, and even add a pot plant or two. Add color to your desk. And tell yourself that its only a matter of time before you get the job. Just these few little things will help you stick to your goals because you will see the new you every day.

You need to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Learn to be polite but not over friendly, and always look efficient. Invest in a bright tie or scarf, make yourself stand out from the crowd. In an office environment these things will start to get noticed, and quickly.

Everything is about psychology, manipulation and playing the game. Once you have done these few changes, you will soon forget how you used to be. You will be efficient, fun but hard working. And don't forget a sense of humour. As long as it's appropriate! Women will see you as fun, and men will see you as a potential friend, and vice versa all depending on whether you are male or female of course!

Every time you say those horrible words, jogging, gym and aerobics, your neck turns into a red rash of sweat and panic. I know you want to lose weight, but the trouble is you hate exercise! The reason for this is your brain automatically grimaces away from the idea of a set workout, not sure if you will be able to keep it up, and more importantly are you going to have a heart attack just putting on the track suit!

Don't panic! Exercise comes in all shapes and sizes. Want to know what I do? I dance. Well, I suppose you could call it that! It's more like flinging myself around my kitchen, waving my arms in the air, shaking my butt and screaming out the words to the songs! Yep, it's fun being my neighbor! Most people think I have a cat that's got it's tail caught in the dryer! So what? i am losing weight, and loving every minute of it! And the great thing about it is that it is exercise!

Yep. it qualifies as exercise. Why? because it's the same thing as doing aerobics! Why spend money on doing it in a dance studio or gym? Just so that you can follow the instructor? Nah! Not enough fun going on! Try it! Who cares what you look like? You are losing pounds, and that's what counts!

Now to your article writing. We all try and set goals to write our work, but everyday things get in the way. Make your desk fun to work at. Buy some balloons and tie them to the legs of your chair! Put loads of colourful pot plants on and around your desk, and maybe a beautiful antique lamp. To get you in the mood buy a new mug and coffee pot, and set that aside for use only when writing. Make your work desk a fun space. Add colourful pictures on the walls around you, and set up your radio or sound system ready with all your favorite music.

This will make you want to work there. All the best known authors have their favorite music playing in the background. If you prefer slopping about in your robe and slippers then fine. Get a nice blue rug and place it under the desk. Blue is a soothing color and will calm your brain down to get you into work mode.

Add smelly candles or Pot Pourri. Make it so that you want to sit there and do some work. If you want to set a goal for this coming year, bring color, music and fun to your life. By training your brain to see, smell and feel comfortable, you will be able to stick to your goals.

So, you see? If you really want to achieve your goals this year, make them fun!