We are officially at the end of the first month of the year. January is officially over.
How are your new year’s resolutions going?
Many of our resolutions were to change, stop, and /or do something different in 2019. Some of us wanted to improve our health, Get closer to God, Increase or manage our finances, spend more time with family and friends, start our own business, Improve our finances, or just be better to our selves.
What is a resolution?
A resolution is the resolve and determination to take action concerning something.
At the end of 2018, you knew that a change had to take place so you went into 2019 motivated to make those changes with the resolve and determination that you were going to implement strategies in 2019 that would propel you into a new sense of self.
My new year’s resolution was to Build a stronger more intimate relationship with God, Start a blog, Loss weight, and grow my hair,
How is it going you ask?
Well, Let me tell you. I started off the first few weeks with a bang. I was focused, driven and determined to be steadfast and unmovable in my resolution.
What I accomplished
I started my blog, I implementing strategies to grow my hair, and I started my weight loss journey and was actually seeing results.
So what Happened?
I started having Stinkin Thinkin!
What is Stinkin Thinin?
Stinkin Thinkin is the negative thoughts you have with yourself internally. It is that nagging voice that tells you ” You won’t succeed, ” “You messed up so you should just quit,” “Its too hard,” ” It’s taking too long,” “You’re not good enough,” It will never work,” and the list goes on.
Disclosure: This blog contains some affiliate links. although there is no purchase required on your part if you use any service through one of these links I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
I started doubting myself and my ability despite the results that I was seeing.
What did I do about it?
I had to upgrade my mind. Yesss… Upgrade!
I know when you heard the word upgrade you’re mind went to tech devices right?
Well, when you think about making changes in your life that are lasting the same way you upgrade your devices so that all its components are new and functioning at their best and most optimal level you also have to think about way’s in which you can optimize the success of your resolution.
When we think about our selves from a standpoint of change we also have to think about the changes that need to be applied so that our thoughts, behaviors, and actions are also upgraded to reflect our commitment and resolve to change.
What’s the difference?
The word upgrade means to improve the quality of something to a higher standard.
When you make a resolution you are making a conscious decision to change, improve or implement something new in your life
The difference between a resolution and an upgrade is that an upgrade requires you to take sustainable and measurable action/actions that reflect your resolve (resolution) for change.
Often times even though we resolve to change aspects of our lives we neglect the actionable application.
What ends up happening is that you get midway through the process, but because you haven’t upgraded your behavior, thought process, and actions so that they consistently reflect the new you, like me, you end up being bombarded with old behaviors, thoughts, and actions, which result in Stinkin Thinkin.
I challenge you this year to not just resolve to change but to upgrade your mindset so that it reflects your commitment and resolve to change.
How do you do that?
-
Upgrade your mindsetand actions .
Download in your mind positive affirmations that build you up, keep you motivated, and challenge you to change.
What are positive affirmations?
Positive affirmations are personally directed words and/or phrases that are specifically used to replace negative self-defeating thought (Stinkin Thinkin).
Such as “Strong,” “Successful,” “Kind,” “Loved,” “I am capable and able to achieve my dreams,” “I am healthy and whole,” ” I am an overcomer,” “I am good enough,” and the list goes on.
The consistent use of positive affirmations empowers and motivates us. They cause us to be more aware of our thought processes and help us to develop a mindset that is purposeful, consistent and intentionally positive.
Write positive affirmations on sticky notes and place them in a common area/areas so that it is consistently visible. In places like the bathroom mirror. , on your computer screen, on your car dashboard, your work area or the refrigerator.
2. Creating a vision board of all the things you want to achieve and place it somewhere that is easily visible.
Disclosure: This blog contains some affiliate links. although there is no purchase required on your part if you use any service through one of these links I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Vision boards are a great way of making your resolutions visible. By making them visible you are acknowledging that they exist but they also serve as motivators that push you to accomplish your resolutions, because they establish a sense of accountability and commitment to see it through.
3. Write down measurable goals that you can achieve each day, week, month and year that are realistic and attainable. This will not only help you to stay focused, but it will also serve as documentation for your accomplishments and milestones.
For example one of my resolutions is to lose weight. I am currently at 240lbs ideally I would like to weight about 150lb, which means that I would have to loss100lb to get there. Is it possible? Yes. Can I do it in a month realistically in a way that ensures that I keep it off? No.
Disclosure: This blog contains some affiliate links. although there is no purchase required on your part if you use any service through one of these links I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
So instead of saying I am going to lose 100lbs in a month my goal, for example, would be to lose 5 or 10lbs every month. This is a realistic and measurable goal. At the end of the month if I have achieved my goal it will serve as documentation for that achievement. If I end up exceeding my goal then it will serve as confirmation that what I am doing is working and as a motivator to stick with it.
What happens if
Instead of beating your self up about it and giving up. Your upgraded application is to acknowledge the areas that need a higher upgrade and understand that Rome wasn’t built in a day. This is a process, and you are a work in progress.
Apply your positive affirmations, reevaluate your strategy, and keep moving forward. Don’t stop! Instead understand that in order for change to occur you have to purposefully, intentionally and consistently chase it down.
Last but not least!
4. Find someone who you trust that can hold you accountable with no judgment. Know that you are not by your self in your journey to reach your resolution. Find someone with the same goals and ambitions who is as focused, positive, and driven as you are and encourage each other.
Why Accountability?
Because accountability holds you responsible for your thoughts, behaviors, and actions. It motivates you to be consistent in taking purposeful, intentional actionable steps towards your change.
It also allows you to be transparent and honest about where you are in your process of change and eliminates those negative thoughts (Stinkin Thinkin) we have internally that we don’t share with anyone that keeps us stagnant.
Well, that’s it for now! Stay tuned for more as we continue our journey together.
Remember success will not chase you down until you make preparation for it , and that preparation in relationship to your resolution comes in the form of upgrading you’r thought processes , actions, and behaviors.
If you have any comments or questions ,need encouragement or someone to be accountable to ,or just want to talk feel free to contact me.
