A New Year's Resolution is like a flashlight; only when something new and motivating comes around does it power on to explore the unknown. We are the flashlights in this instant--the New Year is exciting and hold various, life-changing opportunities. We feel bright and optimistic about our new or old goals and inspired that this change in year will bring a change within our lives. Sometimes, this is true, but other times it can be wrong. Here are some tips that will keep your light on all year with motivation and positivity:

1. Take it slow!

Many of us find that shortly after making a New Year's Resolution, we tend to fizzle out or find cheats around our actual goal. Why might this happen? Mostly it is due to the idea that a life-transformation can happen almost immediately--and that's quite common! The hardest part of a goal can be patience. We may all want a slim body, nice bank account, or amazing job, but the hardest part of that goal is getting there. Thus, we might completely stop eating fast food and go work out for hours on end, pick up another tedious job, or stress out about trying to get into your dream job. However, the key to success is planning. Pick a certain day of the week to go to the gym; slowly reduce how much artificial foods you eat over a span of a few weeks or months; start thinking of small gestures that might improve your job performance on a daily or weekly basis; or, start saving a small percentage of your income for future purchases. We must be prepared to sacrifice some of the luxuries in life in order to achieve our end goal, but that goal won't be accomplished by cutting out everything at once.

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

2. Find motivation in something personal.

We all know something that has pushed us past a point we didn't think existed. Whether it be a teacher who inspired you to try hard in a subject that isn't your strongest or a piece of jewelry that reminded you of someone special, we all have something! If you're goal is to start running or jogging daily, bring something along with you that means something to you. That way, if you begin to think about giving up, you will have something to look at and remind you why you even started. Personally, I always keep a lucky penny on me. Sometimes, whenever I feel that I might have put too much onto my plate of events (such as: too many college classes in a semester, hours at work, or personal tasks), I have a token that reminds me to keep going--it resembles luck and hope for me. However, don't feel that this has to be anything physical. Another thing that provides a lot of motivation is our memory. We experience emotion and have memories of certain events that have taken place within our lives. Use those memories to find strength and inspiration for the future. After all, we set our destinations--our minds are the key to achieving anything.

3. Find inspiration from other stories.

The internet houses millions upon millions of stories. Each story having it's own unique, personal spin and perspective. Thus, finding something that really reaches out to you might be hard to find, or it might be easy; it depends on how you interpret it as well as your situation and availability to find that particular story. Even this article could be your inspiration! (And, I hope it does inspire positivity and help create success for your goals..)

4. Find a friend with a similar goal and partner up!

Let's face it, life can get pretty tough when going through things alone. That's why we don't always need to be alone; we need help and interaction--it's in our DNA! When trying to change your diet, find another person who is willing to change their diet too. (Neighbors, friends, family, partners, etc..) They might not be doing the same type of diet, but it is beneficial to discuss feelings and keep track of how things are going. Another great way of communicating is through support groups. These groups are designed to help motivate and inspire people with specific goals. And, if there isn't any support groups for your particular goal, then create one! It's as simple as starting a website or social media page.

“Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success.”

-Stephen Covey

5. Find balance within your life with these new activities.

The major component of planning involves balance. Without balance in our lives, things would be chaotic! Imagine having to be at 3 different places at once... it's just not able to be done! (Unless you have a cloning machine...) Balance and planning are interdependent. In order to balance every event in your life successfully, you must find the order of events that are satisfying and will accomplish your end goal(s). And, in order to balance your life, you must plan which events and activities that you can do. In order to properly balance our lives, we must determine what is the most important and what isn't. Everyone has different lives and opinions. Thus, reading a book might be important for one individual, but a past-time for another. Determining the importance is the first step of finding balance. The second, is to create a plan. Find a routine that works for your schedule. Waking up at six in the morning to go on a run or jog might be necessary in order to achieve your end goal, if that fits in your schedule. Sometimes, the fun, unnecessary things have to be cut in our lives in order to achieve or goals. The third step is to find the motivation needed to stick with the routine. As mentioned before, there are various ways to find inspiration, ideas, and stories to keep you motivated. So why not get out there and succeed in your New Year's Resolutions?

Photo Credit: Rob Bowling Photography. Click on the image to view even more of his phenomenal work!

Please feel free to like, comment, and share with your friends! Together we will inspire greatness, motivate success, and change lives by one post at a time! Thank you.

Ashlea's Blog

New Years Resolution Upkeep Tips.