The secret to setting goals that last.
One of the things that grinds my gears at this time of year is seeing huge swathes of the wellbeing industry jumping on the New Year bandwagon. From weight loss, improved fitness, to mental wellbeing, and new life goals all I seem to read are 30 or 60-day plans to a better you.
It’s not that we shouldn’t be focused on wellness. Now, more than ever, we need to take greater personal responsibility for our own health and wellbeing.
However, all the marketing hype and short term approaches can see us putting too much pressure on ourselves and even leave us with warped expectations of success. According to Lifehack, a whopping 80% of us who set New Year resolutions fail. It seems pressure and unrealistic expectations are mortal enemies of motivation.
Whilst we have all come to view the start of the New Year as a new beginning, there are two main reasons I believe January may not be the optimal time to set new resolutions and goals if we want to ensure successful outcomes:
Post holiday: The New Year arrives off the back of a season of excesses – so much consumerism, couch-time, and (over) consumption. For many January is a hangover month in more than one sense of the word; quite often we’ve partied, spent and even mentally wiped ourselves out. On top of this, many of us are dusting down our CVs and looking to move jobs. This is a well-known busy time for job recruiters as companies post new open positions in line with their new financial year. It is also a time we tend to face up to the reality of our relationships. January is dubbed ‘Divorce Month’ as it’s the time of year solicitors see a surge in enquiries from unhappy couples, starting on ‘Divorce Day’ - the first working Monday after the 1st January.
It’s Winter! We forget that in the coldest, darkest months we should be conserving our energy and focusing our efforts nourishing our body and souls. So why then are we launching new resolutions, instigating change and/or trying out extreme diets? Just think, if we were bears we’d have carb-loaded and be sleeping it out right now!
The reason we believe we should set new (and often lofty) resolutions and goals at this time of year is also due to very obvious commercial pressures.
People are spending more money than ever on their health and experiences as opposed to traditionally popular areas like fashion. In 2020 the health and wellness industry in the UK was worth €23 billion (Statistica 2021). And the wellness market is booming globally - currently valued at $4.5 trilllion (Global Wellness Institute) with annual growth of 5 to 10 percent (McKinsey).
We’ve come so far since the Jane Fonda days of leg warmers and video workouts with choices and education around wellness more sophisticated, plentiful and cost effective than they’ve ever been. So, when to start?
If not New Year, when?
In nature new beginnings (in the northern hemisphere at least) kick start in spring, a time when the trees and flowers bud, lambs make their appearance, the weather warms up and the days are visibly longer.
The start of spring, marked by the spring equinox, a perfect time for you to review your eating habits, start those fasts or try that juicing programme you’ve been keen to do.
This does not mean you should not set goals for January; just don’t pressure yourselves to have your whole year’s plans documented in minutiae. Instead focus on what is - or feels - right for you, right now.
For example, I’m doing dry January. Although I made the decision to reduce my weekly alcohol consumption a couple of years ago I found myself enjoying a tipple most days through December (and more than a unit or two per day over the festive season!). It made sense, therefore, to use January to re-establish my healthy drinking habits.
Otherwise, like Mother Nature and the bears, I’m hunkering down for the rest of winter, using this time to plan and set goals that I want to last.
But you do not need to wait for a specific calendar date or season.
‘The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is now’
The message in this proverb is clear; if you want to start something, then the best time is today. I appreciate it may feel contradictory to my message about January but the point is that you do not need to wait for the 1st January or set a future date to implement change; You can start new positive habits anytime.
Ultimately, if we want our good intentions to last, it’s important to really understand what our individual wellbeing needs and goals are. Then figure out what we need to focus on today, tomorrow, and then the day after in the context of everything else going on in our lives.
And you do not need to go big from the get-go. Research into successful habits and lifestyle changes show the most important thing you can do is to simply start - don’t wait on perfecting your plans.
If you feel you need help to see the wood for the trees in setting your own goals, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Happy & healthy New Year to you all!