Petit à petit
It is the new year, and everyone has a resolution or action plan they want to execute. Most of us want to make a 180-degree change within a short period.
New Year’s resolutions can be daunting, and it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the idea of making significant changes in your life. But it’s important to remember that change doesn’t have to happen simultaneously.
Taking small, incremental steps is often a more effective way to achieve your goals.
Forgetting it took us several years to build the old habit we want to change, I encourage you to go slowly or petit à petit, which means little by little in French.
Break Down Your Goals
One way to approach your resolutions is to break them down into smaller, more manageable tasks. For example, if your resolution is to exercise more, you might start by walking around the block once a day and gradually increasing the distance as you get more comfortable. To eat healthier, add one or two new fruits or vegetables to your diet each week. Please do not rush to make the change you wish to; it might get you burnt out or breakdown.
Think back on the way you got into the habit, how did you start, have you always done it, when did you realise it was not healthy, is it healthy, but you just chose to stop it. There is a lot of thinking you have got to do.
Seek Support
Another helpful strategy is to enlist the support of others.
Consider finding a friend or family member who shares similar goals, and work together to motivate and encourage each other. Consider joining a support group or finding an online community working towards similar goals.
Spend a few hours, or days changing that habit, then increase the time and see if you have no withdrawal symptoms before continuing and going all out.
It’s also important to be patient and kind to yourself. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you have a setback or don’t see progress as quickly as you would like. Remember that change takes time, and it’s okay to celebrate small victories along the way. After much thought has been put into this, get a pen and paper and write it down; decide on what you want to change, write it down, or type it if you prefer.
Closing thoughts
We all want to make and achieve our goals.
Taking little steps towards your New Year’s resolutions can be a more effective and sustainable way to achieve your goals. By breaking your resolutions down into smaller tasks, enlisting the support of others,
and being patient and kind to yourself, you can make lasting changes and build positive habits in the
new year.
Originally published on Jan 3, 2023.