make a plan for your plan

Find the Compelling Reason

A compelling reason ties into your values and your sense of self. If you consciously make a choice to value health, independence and mobility, then consider how a daily yoga practice ties into these values and then make it the driving force behind your action. This will tie your action to success!

Check Your Tongue

Having identified a compelling reason to start your intention for the new year, now it is time to put it into practice. To ensure success, do a language check. Rather than saying, “I’m going to start a daily yoga practice,” say, “I’m committed to practicing yoga on a daily basis.” There is a big difference between saying you are going to start something and saying you are committed to actually doing it. 

Say “I Do” and Commit

Does the word commitment carry with it any feelings of burden or obligation? If it does, are you sure that you fully intend to follow through on your goal? Fully committing to something frees your mind of “what if” scenarios and inherently drives your motivation. If you truly wish to reach a goal, take the plunge! Commit and say “I do.”

Identify Resistance

We all have the supreme ability to deceive ourselves and justify our actions. In order to achieve success with your intentions this year, take some time and identify any resistance you may be holding on to. You will probably see that it is coming from a place of fear and the best defense against fear is to stomp it out and take a counter action. 

Hold Yourself Accountable

How will you make sure you do what you say you’re going to do? Research shows that when someone tells other people that they plan to do something, they are much more likely to do it than if they tell no one. Start talking! 

Find Yourself a Wingperson

Another way to ensure your success is to find an accountability partner. If you have a friend who wants to implement a similar resolution, engage them, bring them with you, consider it a tango for two! Check in with each other on your progress and congratulate each other when small accomplishments are made.

Revisit and Modify

Check in with yourself periodically for re-evaluation. Schedule it in your calendar if necessary. Perhaps you have reached a point where you’re practicing yoga every day but now your mornings are stressful because you’re trying to fit in too much. Try going to bed earlier or practice fewer times a week. Part of the success of reaching our goals involves stopping to review and reevaluate along the way.