Hello my friend,
How are you doing today?
In my last post, I gave people the opportunity to contribute to the last email of the year by asking a specific question that they wanted me to answer in my last email.
While I received several interesting questions that I really wanted to answer, I could only select one question for this email.
This question by Nifemi says, “How do I follow through on my New Year resolutions?”
This is a very interesting question because, as the new year approaches, everyone has a new year resolution—including myself.
However, my only issue with some New Year resolutions is that they do not live to see the end of January, and by July, they are completely forgotten.
So, how do you truly follow through on your 2024 New Year resolutions?
You follow through by setting up systems—specific and actionable systems.
I talked extensively about setting up systems in the 2024 Planning Session, and I did a walk-through on how to set up strong systems that can keep you going all through the year.
For example, if one of your resolutions is to read six books in 2024. An example of a simple yet solid system would be:
Deciding the six books you want to read.
Deciding what time you are going to read either daily or weekly. For example - Read a chapter every Monday at 8 p.m. or read a page daily during my lunch break at work.
Then, block your calendar for this and set up an alarm reminder
This way, your resolution has been broken down into something actionable, and all you need to do is show up.
To make it even more solid, you can join a book club or tell a friend to check on you every two months to ensure you have completed and taken action on one book.
The realization of our new-year resolutions is not as far-fetched as we probably think.
The life that we dream of is at the other end of effective systems and taking action.
Following through on your systems will never leave you the same. It will help you achieve your goals, but it will also make you a better and more consistent person in the process.
In 2015, I started journaling. Initially, it was quite difficult to stay consistent, and many times, I would not journal because of the many excuses I laced up for myself.
So, I decided to set up a system. I got a designated journal book and pen and placed them beside my bed. Then, I set up an alarm for 7 a.m. to journal immediately after my morning devotion.
Till today, that system has not left me, and I have been able to transfer the consistency that I built in journaling to every other area of my life.
As I mentioned initially, I talked more about systems in the 2024 Planning Session and shared practical examples of things that I did to follow through on my 2023 goals.
Following through on a New Year resolution can be quite difficult, especially when the new year, new me sensation starts to wear off.
But it is possible to stay motivated all year. It is possible to minimize procrastination and inconsistencies to the barest minimum.
I extensively covered this in the planning session, and one feedback I keep getting is how relatable and practical the session is.
You can get access to the session replay here. The price goes up after today.
I hope this final post of 2023 is helpful for you.
Thank you for staying with me throughout the year.
See you in 2024! Till then, stay fabulous.
With Love 💕, Aramide