Strategies to Skyrocket Your New Year Resolutions!

Many people don’t believe in making New Year’s resolutions, and I get it. It can feel like a lot of unnecessary stress.

But I’m a Sagittarius; it’s in my stars to be blindly optimistic.

So I LOVE them!

I love them the way I love a new notebook and fresh gel pens.

I start every new year with a ridiculous level of hope.

Why wouldn’t this be the best year ever?? What’s the point if we don’t try to improve, just a little?

And over the last few years, I’ve successfully kept a good chunk of my resolutions, goals, or whatever we want to call them.

My trick is that instead of holding myself to a long list of rigid rules, I view them as guidelines that help move me slowly and incrementally to a better place. And I don’t hold on to them so tightly that I lose motivation if I go off track because, sooner rather than later, I will.

Having guidelines in place instead of “rules” feels comforting and helps me return to routine quickly.

So I thought I would kick off our 2024 content with a round-up of things I prioritize and have on hand that make creating resolutions and sticking to new year goals a little easier.

Strategies to Skyrocket Your New Year Resolutions!

Don’t Start on January 1st

I mean, sure, you can, but it’s a lot of pressure. I like to use the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve to chill out, spend time with my kids, and rest.

Then, the first week of the new year is to re-acclimate our routine and get organized.

It’s too much to do everything at once, especially after the busyness of the holidays.

Honestly, it’s a sh*t show around here right now. Two of our three girls are back to school, but our oldest is still on break. And all the sports practices and training for the spring season are in full swing.

We hit the ground running this week and looked like a gang of gremlins trying to get out the door on Tuesday morning.

So, instead of frantically executing in all my new plans, I give myself a lot of grace the first week and use it to get ready and dust off the cobwebs.

I also spend some time finishing my vision board together, which I have found to be the most inspirational way to keep my goals top of mind.

A New Planner

Is it even the new year without a new planner?

I’ve tried all of them, from a serious Franklin Planner to preppy and pretty ones that come with stickers you never use.

And I lose interest within a few weeks. Then, about three years ago I discovered the Anecdote Planner on Amazon .

It’s very straightforward and easy to use, nothing overcomplicated.

What I love most about it is that you write in the dates, so if you end up skipping a few pages, you can pick up again without feeling wasteful.

The paper is heavy, it feels nice in your hand, the size is just right, and it’s only $25.

Be Realistic With Your Schedule

Every year, our schedule is different.

The big news in our family is that our incredible nanny had a baby over the holidays, so we had to figure out how to start the year without her help.

Our calendars currently look like a game of Tetris.

Then, with the family calendar and routine locked in, I sat down with my planner and found the windows in my day and week that I could use to reach my personal goals. It’s a bit wild, but it’s manageable.

And I won’t commit to a goal I can’t support in my schedule; there’s no reason to set yourself up for failure. There are a lot of things I want to do that I had to say, “not yet” to.

Dry January

My husband and I have done Dry January for the last few years. It’s the perfect way to reset and detox after overindulging for a few weeks, AND it helps clear your mind.

I start right after Christmas since I have a girl’s trip to Key West at the end of January, but I still get my 30 days in.

The health benefits are tremendous, from better sleep and skin to less bloating and puffiness. And every year, we use it as an opportunity to check in on our relationship with alcohol, especially after how much we all drank during COVID.

Since we made it part of our New Year kick-off, we drink significantly less during the year.

Is it hard? The first year was, especially since “grabbing drinks” is so tied to our social life and I use to love a glass of wine while cooking.

But now I don’t even think about it. And if I want something other that water (which gets very boring after a while) I like these drinks by Recess. Their Mood Magnesium Supplement Drink Calming Beverages and their Craft Mocktails are both delicious.

Find a Water Bottle You’ll Use

Do I have a Stanley Cup?

Yes, I also drive around the suburbs in an SUV while wearing yoga pants. I am as basic and boring as they come.

But you don’t need an “it” bottle (sounds so silly) to reach your goals; you need something you’ll consistently use so you stay extra hydrated.

Experts will tell you to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, and if you drink coffee or soda, to add those ounces back in water as well. It’s a lot.

I like the Stanely because it holds 40 oz, so if I drink three a day, I more than hit my goal. It also fits nicely in my car’s cup holder. I take it everywhere.

I also have their 24 oz “Go Bottle” for powders. For example, I add LMNT Zero-Sugar Electrolytes Powder during and after a hot workout, which replenishes electrolytes with a mix of sodium, potassium, and magnesium and has ZERO sugar.

Get Your Sleep

I recently read somewhere that sleep is so important to our health, especially as women, that if you had to pick between working out and sleep, pick sleep.

In fact, I learned first hand how crucial sleep was when I spent most of last year hitting 5am workouts twice a week. I woke up at 4:15 to get there on time and I dragged the rest of the day.

I was convinced I was doing the right thing and that I would eventually get use to it but it just made me more tired and less productive.

Today, I try to get a full seven hours of sleep, wake up around 6 and work out once I get the kids settled.

But good sleep starts the night before, so stop scrolling mindlessly, turn off your phone and make your room dark.

For a night of uninterrupted sleep (meaning no waking up at 3 am with a racing mind), I mix this magnesium powder into either water or make a mocktail with it and drink it 90 minutes before I want to sleep. You’ll sleep like a rock.

Also, my weighted blanket has been a real game-changer. I have this one, in 86″ X 92″. I bought it back in 2021 and it’s still one of my best purchases.

Basically,I need to be drugged and tucked in like a puppy preparing for a thunderstorm to get a good night sleep, lol, but it works.