Can you believe it’s already a New Year? We’re smack dab in the thick of resolution season: that annual motivation to change, improve, hack, and elevate life so that we can be the best we can be. It’s so tempting, isn’t it…everything from vowing never to eat carbs again to deciding that this is the year you meditate every day without fail. But, we’re human and we’re doomed to make mistakes.
This new year, shift your focus to go for improvement instead of strict limits (and the inevitable fail). Financial resolutions are important – but the most important part is finding ways to make them stick. No matter what your goals are, let’s look at how to set yourself up for success when it comes to setting financial resolutions this new year.
Resolutions are Your Friend – Use Them Wisely!
2022 is here and every aspect of life is getting a once-over. What a year! Most of us got mostly a mixed bag of challenges and successes last year. Even in the depths of a pandemic, making resolutions can make a difference. The 2022 New Year’s Financial Resolutions Study found that people who made resolutions at the start of 2021 were more optimistic about the future than people who didn’t. 81% percent of resolution-making respondents say they were better off financially going into 2022, compared to 58% of those who didn’t make resolutions.
Unlike the dreaded diet restrictions or cold turkey ANYTHING, creating goals that support the desire – rather than the result – is the key to making that New Year’s energy a powerful force. What’s motivating you when it comes to money? What’s your WHY? Sit with this feeling, connect with it. Embrace your inner emotions. Now, imagine you’re planting seeds that thrive instead of rules that will be broken (bring on the shame and guilt!). There’s such a big difference between planting seeds versus adhering to rules (I hate rules – and I like to break them, so why bother!?).
How to Make Financial Resolutions that Work
New Year’s goals are so powerful because they provide that “clean slate” energy. We’re at our most determined and focused right around this time of year. Ride that wave! Be smart about it. Restrictive “no no” resolutions are OUT, and connecting with your why is IN. With that in mind, let’s dive in.
Focus on your money mindset!
First things first: check yourself before you wreck yourself. Your money mindset is your set of values and beliefs that guide your attitudes and actions related to financial life. Getting to know yours, and making changes if needed, is valuable foundation work. Need a money mindset review? Read more here.
Create attainable goals!
This one’s easier said than done because you also don’t want to undershoot a goal. A mid-year check-in with your goal will tell you if you need to adjust up or down, but make sure your goal is both challenging and doable. Get out of your comfort zone but don’t resolve to run a full marathon this year if you’ve never run long distance before. Remember to keep up daily action and celebrate any and all wins along the way.
Keep yourself accountable – get help if you need it!
You are definitely not alone, so there’s no sense in going at it alone, either. Enlisting the help of a community and/or a coach can make the whole journey a lot more fun and attainable.
Ever learn something the hard way for no reason at all? Stop going at it alone. Change it up this year and get the support that you deserve. You end up saving time, money, and frustration in the long run.
This New Year, set yourself up for success by realizing that there is so much you cannot control (if this pandemic has taught me anything it was that!). With the right mindset, community, and right-sized goals, I absolutely KNOW that you can crush your goals. Need support? I’ve got you covered. Join my tribe if you are looking for help getting your $hit together and take the first step to elevate your finances in 2022 by downloading my free Get it Together guide now.