2021 New Year’s Resolutions
A Goal-Action Plan can help your resolutions become reality.
Howard Bennett wrote in the Washington Times, “A New Year’s resolution is a decision to do or not do something to accomplish a personal goal or break a habit. It comes at a time when people look back at the past year and make an effort to improve themselves as the new year begins.”
Every year people make New Year’s Resolutions. At the time, they sound very promising, but a few days later they are no longer important or even worse have already been forgot. A few simple steps could make this year’s resolutions more than simply pipe dreams.
Three simple steps to make your resolutions become a reality
1. Write down each resolution. Seeing is the first step to believing. When you see the resolution in print or on your computer screen you may ponder if it is even seems attainable.
2. Keep the number of resolutions to a minimum. You should not have more than 5–7 resolutions. If you are trying to accomplish too many different things, you are more likely to lose your focus and drift off course. This year I want you to stay on course!
3. Create a goal-action plan (GAP). A GAP states each resolution as a measureable goal, which you can measure, track, monitor your progress and realize when you attain each goal. If you are right brained like me the GAP is a little more challenging, but you can do it!
Reflection is key to you creating New Year’s Resolutions. Like me, I am sure you are your own worst critic because you know better than anyone else does where you have succeeded and failed in your personal or professional life. You look inward to determine if you are on the right path using your internal scale that reflects your personality as well as you moral compass.
My 2021 New Year’s Resolutions
I am sharing my resolutions to show you how this process works.
1. Increase Bible reading and Bible study
2. Read six books
3. Eat healthier foods
4. Lose forty pounds
5. Increase physical activity
6. Publish more stories
You can see I didn’t write the resolutions as goals. I need to create a Goal-Action Plan so I can determine the best way to make these resolutions become reality. First, I must determine a baseline that simply reminds me about my current situation or level of activity in each of these six areas I am addressing.
Bible reading and Bible study
Reading the Bible regularly and engaging in Bible Study is very important for me to grow spiritually and connect with God on a deeper level. Sadly, my efforts in 2020 lacked a consistent effort. Sometimes I used an app, sometimes I read books of the Bible, and other times read from internet references. Last year using You Version Bible App, I did manage to have 24 perfect weeks and a streak of reading the Bible for 138 days in a row. Using this information, I can create a measureable goal for 2021.
1. Bible Reading and Bible Study. In 2021, I will use the You Version Bible App I to complete…
A. 30 perfect weeks of Bible Reading — 2 or 3 perfect weeks each month
B. 24 Bible Studies — 2 Bible Studies each month
Read 6 books
Reading books can expand my horizons and help keep my aging brain sharp. Instead of sitting down with a fiction or non-fiction book, I spent much of my time in 2020 watching Netflix or Chicago Cubs baseball. Last year I started three books and did not finish even one. Using this as my baseline, I can create a measureable goal for 2021.
2. Read six books. In 2020, I will use this timetable as an ongoing strategy to reach the goal.
A. Select first book, finish half of the book by January 31 and finish it by February 28.
B. Select second book, finish half of the book by March 31 and finish it by April 30.
C. Select third book, finish half of the book by May 31 and finish it by June 30.
D. Select fourth book, finish half of the book by July 31 and finish it by August 31.
E. Select fifth book, finish half of the book by September 30 and finish it by October 31.
F. Select sixth book, finish half of the book by November 30 and finish it by December 31.
Eat Healthier Foods
I am a borderline diabetic, but I love to eat all types of food. Due to my poor diet and nutrition habits, I have battled health issues for years. I have arteriosclerosis; a high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol; and a high level of triglycerides. I take medicine to control my hypertension. Six years ago, I had triple bypass surgery. Still my battle to eat healthier foods is an ongoing problem. I know it will involve a lifestyle change. Using this information as a baseline, I can create a measureable goal for 2021.
3. Eat Healthier Foods. In 2021, I will use the Fitbit app to record each day’s food and beverages I consume. A healthier diet would contain Carbs (45–65%), fat (20–35%) and protein (10–35%)
A. Record each meal, snack and drink you consume every day.
B. Use the Fitbit monitor to stay within the recommended percentages for the carbs, fat, and protein each day.
Lose 40 pounds
Most of my life I have battled obesity. I was excited to become a 200 pounder in high school, but aging along with a sedentary lifestyle it is more difficult to lose weight and keep it off. There are no secrets. To lose weight I need to eat less, exercise more and drink plenty of water. The Pandemic has made it even more difficult. During the Pandemic, my weight has ballooned to 254 lbs. According to Elise Wiley in Livestrong it takes 2,450 calories each day to maintain a body weight of 250 lbs. By cutting 500 calories a day, a person could lose one pound per week. However, she does not recommend less than 1,200 calories.
4. Lose 40 lbs. In 2021, I will reduce my caloric intake to 1,800 per day and drink about 124 ounces of water, which is the amount the Mayo Clinic recommends. I will use Fitbit to record my daily calories, water intake and to track my weight loss. I will use the bathroom scales to determine my weight at the beginning of each week.
A. By February 28, my weight will be 246.
B. By April 30, my weight will be 239.
C. By June 30, my weight will be 233.
D. By August 30, my weight will be 226.
E. By October 31, my weight will be 220.
F. By December 31, my weight will be 214.
Increase physical activity
I have used the Pandemic and hip replacement surgery this summer as convenient excuses for being less active. The truth is I have spent too much time in my recliner, on my cell phone, watching TV, or writing stories. I have failed to create a routine for getting out of my chair and walking around the house or the community. Now, that the weather has turned cold I will face even a greater challenge, but I must have a plan.
5. Increase physical activity. In 2021, I will use my Fitbit to record my steps each day.
A. In January, I will walk 75,000 steps — 2,500 per day
B. In February, I will walk 90,000 steps — 3,000 per day
C.In March, I will walk 105,000 steps — 3,500 per day
D. In April, I will walk 120,000 steps — 4,000 per day
E. In May, I will walk 135,000 steps — 4,500 per day
F. In June, I will walk 150,000 steps — 5,000 per day
G. In July, I will walk 165,000 steps — 5,500 per day
H. In August, I will walk 180,000 steps — 6,000 per day
I. In September, I will walk 195,000 steps — 6,500 per day
J. In October, I will walk 210,000 steps — 7,000 per day
K. In November, I will walk 225,000 steps — 7,500 per day
L. In December, I will walk 240,000 steps — 8,000 per day
Publish more stories
Since I started writing on Medium in November, I have published nine stories. As I continue to read many stories written by other writers on the platform I realize that I can greatly increase my output in 2021.
6. Publish more stories. In 2021, I will publish more stories by…
A. Creating at least five new stories ideas each week
B. Writing at least five days each week
C. Publishing at least six stories each month
Your turn
Now, it is your turn to write your resolutions and create a Goal-Action Plan. Charting your progress along the way will help you remain focused on your goals. Set your standards high. Even though you may not hit each mark, just trying will lead to self-improvement and a tremendous feeling of self-satisfaction.
I have created a “Goal-Action Plan Template” to help you track your activities and progress toward your goals. Email jerryharshman2@gmail.com and I and I will send you my FREE template. Good luck and my God bless you in 2021.
