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We are in a new year and decade and many people look forward to making changes in their lives such as eating healthier and exercising, self-care, saving more, spending less and paying off their debt, spending more time with family and friends, finding another job that pays more, and setting personal goals.

Unfortunately, the majority of people fail to follow through and end up going back to their old ways. I want to show you some tips on how to stay on track in fulfilling your goals.

First off, you need to review the previous year and see where you saw progress and where you failed to accomplish a goal. Write these down along with your new goals. Writing your goals or resolutions down has proven to give you a better chance to get to the finish line.

By reviewing the previous year you can see what you did have accomplishments and where you went wrong and did not attain a goal. You can use this in the new year to inspire you to reach your goals and keep you accountable. As you accomplish a goal you can check it off your list and feel more inspired to move on to the next goal.

Just remember to WRITE down all you want to accomplish for the year, along with a plan to get you there. and when you see things are moving backward instead of forward, review your plan and make changes if needed to get you moving ahead.

Attaining Healthy Nutrition Habits

I will be teaching a FREE 5-day online nutrition course with a fellow blogger who is a certified health coach, this month, where we will go into more detail. Go to my blog at https://manyfacetsoflife.com and scroll down on the right side to subscribe so you can get my monthly newsletters and free goodies such as a 2020 desk calendar.

You can let me know in the comment section at the end of the post if you are interested in the nutrition course. I will send you a link before we start the course.

• Be sure and write down what changes you want to make.
• Make a list of foods you have found to be healthy and go shopping for these foods.
• Find foods with vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy. (We go over this in our course)
• Throw out the unhealthy food from the refrigerator and cupboards
• Find healthy recipes and download a meal planner or create your own, and fill it in weekly or monthly.
• Keep a daily journal on your progress on how much weight you are losing, your daily exercise routine, and any other positive changes you are seeing.
• Find what type of exercise program you want to start and contact your doctor before you begin a program. They can also guide you on what might be best for you depending on your health and age. Suggestions: Yoga, walking, running, join a gym, look up exercise classes, find an exercise buddy.
• Find out what supplements they might suggest when needed
• Drink lots of water

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Self-Care

Be sure and take time for YOURSELF! You will feel better about yourself, be more productive, and a better mom and wife if you take the time to pamper yourself!

Fill out a monthly calendar with pampering sessions, lunch with a friend, exercise with a friend, etc. Women tend to take care of others instead of themselves, so treat this calendar as an appointment with yourself and make sure you keep the appointment! Here are some suggestions for self-care:

• Take a bubble bath with candles
• Get a massage
• Listen to music
• Read a book
• Watch a movie
• Take a walk
• Work in the garden
• Find a hobby you enjoy
• Do a crossword puzzle
• Drive to a new place
• Meditate
• Do yoga
• Read poetry and inspiring quotes
• Join a Bible study group
• Get plenty of sleep
• Take a bike ride
• Walk the dog
• Take a dance class
• Have lunch with a friend
• Join a book club
• Call a friend

These are some self-care practices to think about, and you can add whatever you find of interest. Be open to trying something new.

Saving More and Spending Less

Saving money takes discipline and you will need to write down an attainable plan.

• Start smaller as you can add more once you feel comfortable with what you are saving.
• Have an emergency savings fund that will be enough to cover your finances for 4 to 6 months, or go above that with what you are comfortable with.
• Start a 401K at your job if you haven’t already. Companies vary on what they will match and can be up to around 6% of the employee’s pay. Do NOT touch this until you retire if possible.
• If you are retiring, roll over your 401K into a traditional IRA.
• Try to have at least $100,000 when you retire, as you might need to cover huge medical expenses.
• Try not to use credit cards, and save up for large items and pay cash.
• Save for home repair expenses that arise.
• Look for sales and search when is the best time to purchase certain products and get the best deal
• Shop on eBay, OfferUp, Marketplace and similar sites for good deals. I have used all three of these to sell items with great success.
• You can save money by bringing your own lunch to work, instead of going out for lunch.
• Do meal planning.
• Limit eating out for dinner.

Pay Off Debt

The first thing you want to do is create a budget and stick to it!

• Pay extra on the principal when paying your mortgage or car payment when you can.
• In those months where you have 3 pay periods, take that extra check and make an extra payment on your mortgage principal. You will be surprised by how quickly you can pay off the loan when you are consistent in doing this.
• Write down all your bills and payments and see what money you might have extra after you deposit in your savings plans, and pay extra on the lower bills first to see progress. If concerned about interest rates, apply more on the higher bills first.
• Don’t use your credit cards.
• Take advantage of zero or low balance transfers.
• If you receive a bonus put that towards your debt.
• Sell on eBay, OfferUp and Marketplace, or other sites you might like. Use that money to pay your debt.
• Change your spending habits.

In Conclusion

To stay on track you must change your bad habits and become more disciplined. This means creating a plan to follow by writing it down and adhering to the plan. You can also create vision boards. Be willing to make sacrifices and work with your family as a team moving toward a common goal.

Remember to pamper yourself regularly to relieve stress and have a more positive attitude. Don’t give up on your goals! Persevere, take a step back when you aren’t seeing progress and revaluate your plan and make changes to get positive results in attaining your goals.

I am not a medical provider or a financial advisor. The tips in this post are from my own experiences or advice I was given along the way. Be sure and check with your doctor or medical provider before starting an exercise program or changing your eating habits completely. Check with your financial advisor and tax consultant when making big financial decisions.

Below are planners you can purchase from Amazon to help you stay on track and focused in pursuit of your goals.

Wishing you a successful 2020!

“We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives … not looking for flaws but for potential.” ELLEN GOODMAN

#2020 #goals #stayontrack #healthy #nutrition #habits #self-care #savings #payoffdebt #newyear #decade #exercise #family #friends

Posts may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases and collect a small commission at no cost to you. This helps my blog to keep going. Thank you! For more info, read my disclosure policy.