New Year’s Resolutions? Even with the greatest intentions, it’s so easy to fall into the “newness” of New Year’s Day, setting out to reach shiny new goals with a list a mile long. So often, though, all those list items lose their luster by around March or April, giving way to the return of comfy, familiar habits. The comfort zone that gives us the illusion of safety and security. After all, change is different, uncomfortable, and “new.”

If you’re like me, June rolls around, bringing with it a renewed sense of vigor. Off and running we go again toward those hopeful glimmers of accomplishment. Making some progress during the summer and feeling great.

Then, the wonder and beauty of Fall distracts. Before we know it, we’re back to New Year’s Eve again, and the cycle restarts.

For a few years, I resolved to start “resolutions” on December 1st; only to realize the same cycle repeating.

I have an idea for us eager, sparkly goal seekers. Let’s make every day our very own New Year’s Day. Let’s make our list of resolutions a bit smaller. Let’s prioritize it. Choose one at a time. Do one little thing every day that has something to do with that one goal. Focusing on too much at once can be overwhelming. Overwhelm sets us up for a return to the comfort zone, which doesn’t bring us the desired result. We can use the past “failures” as fuel now. We know what that feels like because we’ve been there before. The only thing standing in the way of accomplishing our goal is the next step.

The next step is nothing more than continuing. Interesting, right? Nothing big and scary. It’s just a simple thing, like, walking around the block. We don’t get halfway around and stop, do we? Even if we turn around and walk back the way we came (hello comfort zone), we are still walking. Tomorrow we can walk a few steps further. Stretch that comfort zone! Even if we turn around, we are still walking. The next day, we walk a few steps further than yesterday, and so on. This way, there is progress every day! See how easy that is? Rather than sulking, saying, “I only made it half way and turned around.” We can say, “I kept walking today.” And, “I walked a little further today!”

Soon, the day will come when we will have walked around the entire block. Who says we have to reach that goal in one day or one week. If we keep doing a little each day, we will make it all the way around.

Shortly we will be crossing that fabulous goal off the list, as accomplished! Primed for the next one.

Ready to start walking with me? Let’s go!