"Most Changed" into 2016 & 4 Steps to a New Years' Resolution

The new year is upon us. Is it really 2016? Things can certainly change quickly and time flies! Most of us are in the midst of starting our New Years' Resolutions! Many of you may have already organized, categorized and wrote down your resolutions. Others might be doing the usual procrastination and will not formally write any, but keep some ideas tucked away in the cranny of their minds. However, we all must start with a little reflection.

When I reviewed my past year, I noticed a lot of change. New job, new customers, new challenges, new opportunities, new friends, and a new outlook on life. I am learning to be a better me. I want to grow and become the woman God has given me the potential to become. I think back to my senior year of high school. My 2010 senior class at Otsego High School always voted superlatives by class.

I was selected as most changed in 2010.

See me in the middle? Yeah, my hairstyles were... epic. Ha! I used to be this shy, quiet, twig farm girl. Experiences and determination have gotten me to where I am today (and thank goodness for puberty!). I am not near as shy as I used to be, I am willing to speak up when I want to share my thoughts or feelings and I am still an agriculturalist, even though I no longer live on a farm! To compare physical pictures of myself and my fitness journey from January 2015 to now are astounding. But not all change is physical. It is primarily mental. We must use our mind to envision our goals, write them down, and stick to them through determination and drive.

My transformation from starting my fitness journey Jan. 1, 2015, through after my first show.

First workout in 2016 - back and biceps! I think it lead to the Buckeye win :)

As I head into 2016, I want to be most changed again. I want to continue learning more about myself. I want to aspire to greater strengths (physically and mentally). How can I make the most change that will impact those around me? What can I do differently than in the past?

Plan to Change

I want to share with you how I go about planning for my goals and change into the new year. I start with the basics. I review the past year, identify areas of success and learning moments/weakness, select passions and interests to pursue and set my goals and actions steps for the new year. It is basic goal setting. 

4 Steps to New Years' Resolutions

1. Review the previous year.
   I can be fairly detail-oriented. To review 2015, I went page by page through my planner to see important activities and notes. Any large events or projects were written down and it refreshed my memory.
2. Identify areas of success and learning moments.
   Now that my mind was fresh from reviewing the year, I could separate what I consider successes (large and small) and learning moments.
   
   Please note: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FAILURE. Everything is a learning moment, experience and stepping stone to something else. Good or bad, it is what you make of it.
3. Select passions and interests.
   I want to read more. I want to become a better business woman. I want to develop a crafting hobby. I want to continue body building and more. These are things I have seen from reviewing this past year that make me happy and add more balance to my life. Therefore, I am going to pursue them.
4. Set goals and action steps.
   It has been proven that the most successful people write down their goals. They are specific, timely, measurable, action-oriented, and realistic. Write them down. Be as specific as possible listing what needs done, who can you reach out to for help, when it needs done and order them. Set a timeline. 

How are you going to accomplish your New Years' Resolutions? Look for more about mine in upcoming posts. :)