It's a New Year and Change Is More Achievable Than You Think
“Working toward your goals is hard. Living a life you’re not happy with is hard. Choose your hard.”
In our minds, making changes can feel insurmountable, like climbing Mount Everest on our own. That’s because when we think of change, we usually think of big things that seem impossible. In reality, making a change starts with small habits, things we do every day that when added together make an honest difference in our daily lives.
Many successful people have said that life changes start with one step. One step will lead to another and another. They’re all small steps that add up. In the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, he says that “Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick with them…”
Tiny and incremental changes = Results
So, don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to make large monumental changes that are hard to achieve. The way to successfully make improvements is to start small. Small changes will add up over time.
“Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick with them…”
Where to Start
There are lots of things you can do to improve yourself today. If you’re not sure where to start, the following are simple things you can do that will positively impact other areas of your life. Anyone can and should do these if you’re not already doing them:
Go to sleep 30 minutes earlier
Write in a daily gratitude journal
Eat one vegetable with your meal
Make your bed or clean/organize something
Express appreciation to someone
Watch __ hours less television a day
Follow uplifting social media accounts
Unfollow negative social media/news
Learn one computer skill (Check out JAG AZ)
Set your phone to “do not disturb” at night
Set a limit on your daily screen time
Set a time limit on hobbies that don’t help you reach your goals
Go for a walk or stretch
Practice a mindful technique like slow deep breathing
Be in nature - sit under a tree, get a plant, or put nature photos on your computer
Get some sun —yep, just sit outside!
The Key to Success is Probably Not What You Think
This next part is literally the most important. You can set all the goals in the world and have the best of intentions —but to make something stick, you need a system to keep it going. Setting a goal of starting a new habit is great but you need a system to keep you going without fail. One such system for developing new habits is using a Progress Tracker.
Make it easier on yourself by using a progress tracker app. You can also just mark off your progress on a calendar. Whatever you decide to do, enjoy a mini-celebration each time you complete a good habit!
“You can set all the goals in the world and have the best of intentions —but to make something stick, you need a system to keep it going”
Make it easier on yourself by using a progress tracker app. You can also just mark off your progress on a calendar. Whatever you decide to do, enjoy a mini-celebration each time you complete a good habit!
By starting small and using a good system, you can accomplish things you never thought you could. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits says, “With the same habits, you’ll end up with the same results. But with better habits, anything is possible”. Make a small change today and achieve the things you want in life.
Partner Shout Out 📣
Jobs for Arizona’s Graduates has served more than 40,000 students in Arizona helping them to achieve their full potential! JAG helps young people stay in school through graduation, pursue post-secondary education and secure quality entry-level jobs leading to career advancement opportunities. Learn more about JAG here or contact Emily Amparan at emilya@iwantmydiploma.com!
