If you’re like most people, by the time July rolls around, the lofty resolutions you set back in January have fizzled out like fireworks on the Fourth. Fortunately, July is the perfect time to pick yourself up, reassess the goals you made six months ago, and come up with a plan to accomplish them!
Whether your resolutions had to do with getting your body – or your home – back on track, let’s take a look at where things often go wrong when making New Year’s resolutions, and what you can do this July to avoid the same mistakes.
The January Problem: Allowing leftover holiday treats and goodies to sabotage your efforts to get back in shape.
The July Solution: Separate yourself from unhealthy foods. Make a fresh start by clearing out sugary treats, junk food, soft drinks and anything else you want to avoid, then resolve not to bring them into your home again. After all, it’s much easier to resist temptation when you’re hit with a sudden craving if you have to drive to the store to get what you want instead of merely walking to the pantry.
The January Problem: Biting off more than you can chew.
The July Solution: Take it one step at a time. Oftentimes we get a little ahead of ourselves when it comes to making resolutions. You hit the ground running in January full of optimism, sure that this is the year you will finally get your house decluttered, only to get overwhelmed by the enormity of the task and give up. Instead, decide what you want to end result to be, and break that one big goal into several more manageable smaller goals that are not as intimidating. For example, start by cleaning out and organizing a closet, and use the sense of accomplishment you get from that to stay motivated as you move on to the next goal.
The January Problem: Going it alone.
The July Solution: Create your own fan club. Everybody needs support when going through a tough time, and nothing is tougher than trying to kick a habit that it’s ingrained in you, such as drinking, smoking, or overeating. So put together a support team that can not only keep you motivated, but also help in other ways such as avoiding smoking around you or not inviting you out for drinks.
The January Problem: Being too hard on yourself.
The July Solution: Keep on trying. Don’t let the fact that you failed before stop you from trying again. And this time, to make it a little easier, take the time to give yourself a little reward along the way. Lost a couple pounds this week? Celebrate by going to a movie. Cleaned out the shed in the backyard that you’ve been meaning to get to for years? Allow yourself to take a day off to relax. Go on a hike, spend the day watching movies with your kids, or spend time with your favorite person. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as you give yourself a reward to look forward to once you reach your goal.
If one of your resolutions this year was to freshen up your outdated kitchen, our skilled craftsmen at AAA Hellenic Marble & Tile have the custom solutions you need to make it stand out. Just give us a call today at 610-344-7700 to schedule a free in-home estimate, or stop by our showroom at your convenience.