This year is my third year using my super realistic and easy trick for new years resolutions, and it keeps on working!

Way back when, I would write down all the things I would want to work on or get done the next year, then promptly lose the list or forget what I was doing by mid January. Sound familiar?

Then suddenly an idea popped into my head! What if instead of going crazy trying to become my better me all at once, I take 12 of my goals and focus on one each month.

YEAH! I can do that!

So become the awesome you, you want to be, with me! Here is my trick to stick to your new year’s resolutions.

Create Monthly Focus Habits
Cut up those goals in to tasty bite size pieces!
(and keep checking in)

Get The Monthly Resolutions Workbook NOW! Click Here!

Step 1 – Brainstorm

Sit down, get a cup of coffee, and get cozy. List any little (or huge) thing that pops up in your head. Nothing is too big or too crazy, you have a whole year after all! Try to list at least 20 things.

My Example:
Learn Spanish
Eating better
Read More Books
Working out
Paperwork
Blog More
Finish Things Early
Self Care
Business growth
Get better at social Media
Launch a course
Meditation
Draw more
you are not behind!
Yoga & Health
Start a new hobby
Declutter
Sleep 8 hours a night
Read before bed
Get to meetings/appointments earlier

Step 2 – Pick Your Top 11

One for each month and 1 month off. I like to take my birthday month October off from adding anything new. If you have a lot of difficult tasks on your list don’t be afraid to ditch a few, take 2 months for a single task, or even use a month for catch up. Another trick to make things easier (or more realistic) is to set December’s goal as “Plan New Year” it lets you relax a little more during the holidays, and you will be all set when January comes around. This is the hardest step because you need to be realistic and only pick as many tasks as you think you can actually do next year.

This is not the time to be crazy ambitious! Remember some of your month’s goals you plan on continuing for the rest of the year so you will be doing them along with your new monthly goals. It just keeps stacking and stacking, but because you are adding little by little it shouldn’t be overwhelming at all.

My 12 of 2016:
Eating better
Working out
Paperwork
Finish Things Early
Month Off / Self Care
Business growth
Launch a course
Meditation
you are not behind!
Yoga & Health
Declutter
Plan For Next Year

Step 3 – Assign Months

This part is the fun part! I usually go through and pick the few I am most excited about and put them in Jan-March since I already have the momentum going to do them. Then I assign the rest of the goals with their own month. Sometimes certain months will match up with some of the goals perfectly (Like focusing on keeping your house clean in the spring!) so I tend to do a little reorganizing until the order works perfectly.
OR
I might have two really difficult goals two months in a row and I will need to break them up with an easier one in between them. Otherwise I know I will get discouraged. It is also important to put your harder goals in the first half of the year. This way if you fall behind on your plan you can just take your steps a little slower and have it spill into the next month a little. That is why paperwork is getting figured out in March, so by April or May my system that was set up in March will be effortless. Once you have your next year all planed out it is time to get to the nitty gritty.

My 12 by Month (Yes these are my actual goals for this coming year):
January – Business growth
February – Working out
March – Paperwork
April – Yoga & Health
May – Launch a course
June – Meditation
July – you are not behind!
August – Eating better
September – Finish Things Early
October – Month off/Self Care
November – Declutter
December – Plan Next Year

Step 4 – Break It Down

Go through each month one at a time and create a actionable list of things you need to do. Each item on this list should either be a step towards the goal and/or have a measurable number associated with it. Remember you don’t have to hit the ground running. You have all month to get this done so you can (and should) start off with small easy to do steps.

Example: February – Working Out
Week 1 – Work out once a week for 15min
Week 2 – Work out twice a week for 15min and once for 10min
Week 3 – Work out twice a week for 15min and once for 30min
Week 4 – Work out twice a week for 30min and once for 15min
Continue until 3 times a week for 30min

Example 2: November – Declutter
For this one I made a list of every single spot I wanted to declutter in my apartment and a checkbox. If I do 1-2 a day I will be well on my way to a clutter-free home!

Want to make this super easy on yourself? Of course you do! Here I made you a free workbook 🙂

Get The Monthly Resolutions Workbook NOW! Click Here!

Step 5 – Track It

You have your plan now all you have to do is stick to it and track your awesomeness as you go. Each month sustaining your previous goals while adding your new ones. Then at the end of each month check in with how you did and see what you already have planned for the month ahead! No thinking, or dreading how you are going to accomplish all those big ideas, just doing them, bite by bite.