2025 just started and many people are making their New Year’s resolutions. Some people are stating ways they want to change that they may have some level of commitment to now but will stop caring about as months go by. Instead of resolutions, I build systems that make it more likely for my goals to happen. That’s what today is all about, putting your resolutions into systems that can help you reach those goals when your commitment to them fades.
Reflect On What Worked
What has worked in your past? Are you still doing it? Why did you stop if you weren’t doing it? These questions help you look at the bits that worked for you before and pick up threads that you may have dropped or forgotten about because of a life change or some other circumstance. I’ve found that I dropped certain tools that really helped me because I thought another tool would work better or because circumstances changed and I didn’t think to bring that with me after the change. The important part of this step is not to place judgement on why you may have stopped doing something or why you aren’t doing something. It’s about taking an honest look at what works for you and bringing it into your systems.
Reflect On What Didn’t Work
What doesn’t work? Do you feel obligated to do things a certain way? Do you believe there is a single right way to do things? There should be no judgement on what isn’t working or why something isn’t working for you. Many people learn that there is only one correct way to do things. It should be clear as we get older that many times that isn’t the case. You don’t have to go to the gym to get more active. You could find other ways to be more active that will still benefit your health. Remove the bits of your system that don’t work for you so you can find what does work for you.
Determine What You Need
What expectations do you need to meet? What is important to you? These are the questions that drive this section. Some things need to get done. You can’t ignore certain needs, such as childcare or attending important appointments. Take stock of all the things that it is important you take care of. When you forget things from this list, you are likely to forget them in your system. Don’t be afraid to take your time on this step to really consider everything that is important.
Add Joy
Now that you’ve considered what’s important, add things that bring joy to your life. If you are trying to be more active, you can add an audiobook, favorite music, or a favorite TV show to your exercise to make it a more pleasant time. I often use stickers as a cute little reward for finishing things that are important. No matter what brings you that joy, sprinkle it into your systems to help you enjoy the life you are building.
Those are my tips to improve your systems going into the new year instead of simply making resolutions. How are you going to use this to add joy to your life and meet your needs? Let me know in the comments.
