Mid-Year Reflection: 5 Tips For Reviewing Your New Year Resolutions

By Michelle Mojisola Savage

At the beginning of this year, I shared 5 tips for making and keeping new year’s resolutions. Armed with unwavering determination, you probably grabbed a fresh sheet of paper and penned your goals, eager to incorporate those tips into your pursuit of success. However, let’s be honest - resolutions are easier to make than keep. As life happens, these aspirations often fade into the background.
Luckily, there’s hope. The middle of the year is the perfect time to revisit your resolutions. While reviewing them may feel uncomfortable, especially as you reflect on missed workout sessions and newly discovered junk food, fear not! Here are 5 tips for reviewing your goals and making sure they remain in sight. 

1. Evaluate your present state and progress: It’s time to subject your resolutions to a thorough scrutiny. Which ones have you achieved and which have been forgotten? Are they still relevant and meaningful in your life? Suppose your resolution was to wake up 30 minutes earlier everyday to avoid the slow morning traffic to your 9 - 5 job, but now you work remotely. This calls for a new resolution that suits your current situation. An honest and comprehensive assessment will allow you to identify your current state, determine the goals worth pursuing, and devise the necessary steps for improvement. 

Also read: Switching Careers 101: Key Considerations for Success

2. Celebrate your wins: So, you didn’t finish that novel, but you successfully wrapped up the plot. That’s a cause for celebration! Take a moment to recognize and appreciate the small goals you've accomplished along the way. These accomplishments can fuel a positive mindset and provide the motivation you need to keep pushing towards your goal. I bet celebrating this win will help you realize that having a complete plot makes it easier to finish a novel. And if you don’t have any wins to celebrate yet, it’s okay. We’re only halfway through the year. Keep reading for more tips on how to get back on track and achieve your goals.

3. Identify strengths and challenges: Pause for a moment and recognize the obstacles that have hindered your progress. These may include waning motivation, unexpected events, among other factors. Additionally, reflect on the strategies, habits, or skills that have propelled you forward. What has been effective for you, and what has held you back? By pinpointing these strengths and challenges, you can start considering necessary adjustments to your goals. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses will help you to leverage your strengths in overcoming obstacles and formulating strategies for improvement.

4. Reignite your motivations: Feeling a lack of motivation? Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us. Mid-year reflection presents a chance to rekindle your motivation and remind yourself of the significance of achieving your goals. As mentioned in my previous post, consider creating a reward system that ties the things you enjoy the most to your goals. This way, every goal rewarded will create a positive feeling that would make it worth pursuing. You can also explore new sources of inspiration, whether through reading success stories or engaging in a supportive community. 

5. Set realistic milestones: So you’re determined to finish that novel, and you set a lofty goal to “write 5,000 words per day and finish in a week.” Relax. Break down those goals into smaller, more manageable milestones. This approach ensures that your goals remain attainable and allows for consistent progress and accountability. Remember, the key is to strike a balance between challenging yourself and setting realistic expectations.

Goodluck!