It's January.  Those New Year's resolutions are being formed and promises to make a fresh start in various areas of your life are being made.  Whether you are vowing to get back to the gym, eat right, get more involved in your community, clean out that garage or plan to write that book that is stored somewhere in your brain, remember to take time out to celebrate the smaller milestones along the way to the grand goal. This could lead you to being more successful in that larger goal and making it more of a long term accomplishment.

For example, if your goal is relating to the gym, might I suggest starting out with a goal of going 1 or 2 more days per week than you are now, which for many, including me, means starting to go again.  Celebrate accomplishing that goal after a few weeks. Reward yourself for sticking with that commitment, even if it is a short time, it's more than you were doing before and should be recognized.  Then look forward another month or two and add one day a week for that month; add another day the following month until you reach the desired ultimate goal of attending that spin class or yoga class four to five times per week.  Making smaller goals along the way, or as I like to call it...the journey.... and rewarding yourself for moving in a positive direction can be much more rewarding and will be setting you up for success in that larger goal.

Be prepared for a setback or two along the way.  Life conditions will not always allow you to fulfill that goal and you may miss a week at that spin class due to illness or family emergency or an issue with your child.  Let it go, know you did what you had to do and move forward in the direction of the long term goal as soon as you can.  Then reward yourself once again for the accomplishments. 

Make the reward something of importance to you as well.  If the goal has to do with cleaning out the garage, pick one area of the garage to do at a time and celebrate your accomplishments with purchasing a new tool or with a special outing with the family.

The key is to make the goal achievable and to set you up for success in the New Year.  Goal setting can be challenging and rewarding at the same time if you look at it from the Positive Perspective....