by Maryann Baldwin, December 2023
Research shows that 43% of Americans have abandoned their New Year’s resolutions by the end of the first month and only 9% actually ever complete them (1). Sound familiar? It makes you wonder why you even set them in the first place!
There are so many reasons why this happens - primarily our belief in the power of will power. But that has been shown to be one of the weakest ways to power into your resolutions and new habits. It’s really your habits you are trying to change, and to accomplish that you need some hacks to overcome exhaustion and the long term wait required to reach your desired destination. But don't fret, The Works has a tool you can use to increase your odds of success - just keep reading and block out some time on January 13th or 14th!
So how can you leverage the New Year and perceived new beginnings that come with the turn of the calendar page? What if we set some intentions, rather than putting one big definitive moment in time on our list of resolutions. An intention is an “aim or plan.” An intention indicates something you want and plan to do. But it doesn’t dictate the precise result of that plan. A resolution could be to lose 25 pounds this year; an intention would say “My plan is to adopt new habits that can lead to weight loss.” According to the website Intelligent Change:
“The best way to set proper intentions is to follow these four rules:
Set them as positive affirmations
Use them to be the driving force behind your goals
Set your intentions at a regular frequency
Make setting your intentions a part of a ritual”
And this is where your Vision Board comes in. The Vision Board is a collection of visual reminders of the intentions that you have set for yourself. The visual representation of your intentions should be posted in a place where you see it every day, where the positive and uplifting images you have gathered together remind you and inspire you to find small ways each day to keep moving in your desired direction. The words and phrases you include can become positive affirmations that you weave into your thoughts, they can help you recognize the small steps you take each day that can accumulate into bigger results in the future.
One of the greatest challenges in goal setting is the fact that the specific goal you have set can take days, weeks and more often months to achieve. We can’t stay the course without regular reminders that the small things we are doing are what will lead us to that destination. Our brain needs continuous positive reinforcement in order to overcome its inclination to see change as scary, hard and intimidating. Creating this visual evidence of the future your intentions can create the encouragement and positivity you need to coax your thoughts out of the dark and into the expansive, elevating light.
If all this motivates you to think seriously about the role a Vision Board can play in your intentions to Be More in ‘24, there are 2 upcoming workshops at The Works, on January 13th (morning) and 14th (afternoon), where you’ll find all the support, encouragement, materials and fuel to create your 2024 Vision Board. Just head to our Events page and choose the day and time that work for you. And if you bring a friend, we’ll give you 20% off! www.lansingofficeworks.com/event
(1) Click here to learn more: https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/leadreadtoday/blog/dont-let-obstacles-set-you-back-with-your-goal-plan-for-them
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