Here we are at the start of February 2025, which means that most people’s resolutions for the new year have fallen by the wayside. So I would like to offer a game plan for 2026 now. Actually, I think it is time to start practicing for next January. Let me tell you how.
My plan is very simple and will set you up for success. There is exactly one thing to do — if there are a thousand steps between where you are in life and where you want to be, just take one step a day toward the future you. And better yet, the steps can be teeny tiny as long as you take one daily.
I will be more specific about this methodology for change — and even give two hacks to help — but first…
Let me tell you about Doris Trojak:
She was one of my professors at the University of Missouri St. Louis. I was studying elementary education and she was teaching how to create behavioral objectives for grading our students. Of course, the method she taught for grading was the exact one she used for grading us. She handed out a list of projects we could choose to do that semester. If we did five of them, we got an A. If we did four, we got a B, and so forth. It was exquisitely clear how to get the desired grade. Ever the seeker of As, I did five projects.
Yes, I got my A, but I also got another lesson from Dr. Trojak. She took me aside and told me that I had indeed met the behavioral object and earned my A. However, she saw me as a very capable student. She said I had done the bare minimum on each project while I could have done much more. But here’s the deal, she said, once you set the behavioral objective, you cannot move the goal posts. That A was mine for keeps.
As an aside, I can appreciate that Dr. Trojak wanted every student to give their all in her class. But the reality is that not every project deserves our best effort. In the great sewing room of life, sometimes we make heirloom quilts and sometimes we make quilts to be schlepped around by a toddler.
The Philosophy of One Something:
I have employed the concept of One Something in various elements of life. When I used to shop with my daughters, I agreed to buy them One Something (usually stating a price range) and once I bought that item, I was off the hook. Anything else they wanted was out of their pocket.
Doris + One Something = Success with Resolutions
Recently my goal was to eat a cleaner diet. That was rather broad, so I broke it down into the three pieces that worried me most. Eating less sugar. Eating more fiber. And similar but different, eating more beans.
I consider myself a lucky girl because I was working on three goals at the same time. And if my Behavioral Objective is to do One Something in the direction of a healthier me, I only have to focus on ONE of these goals a day. If I eat beans for lunch, I’m off the hook regarding sugar and other fiber for the rest of the day.
Of course, sometimes doing One Something will feel so good that you will get on a roll and do a few more Somethings. But if you do, that’s great for that day, but don’t go moving the goal post. Tomorrow’s goal is still One Something.
Here are two great hacks for your One Something:
Accountability is a terrific thing. I suggest you buy a spiral notebook with lined paper. Every day, record the date and the One Something. Your description can be one word, one sentence, or one paragraph. There is no right or wrong. Just record your achievement. And if at the end of each week you have recorded seven actions, call yourself what you are — a success.
If your resolution requires a time-consuming action — such as decluttering or answering email — it may be hard to get started. My trick is to set a timer. If I promise I can stop working as soon as that 10- or 15-minute timer goes off, I am usually on a roll and keep working on the project.
A caution in closing — Be reasonable, Christie!
Once when my daughter Shana was young, her friend stormed out of the house. Shana’s response was to shout these words at the friend’s back: Be reasonable, Christie! What Christie may have been ticked off about is long forgotten, while Shana’s words echo on.
Simply put If you currently make a family dinner once a month and want to increase this frequency. Be reasonable, Christie! Don’t go for three times a week. Try twice a month for a few months and move up from there.
I tend to practice a new behavior for many months before New Year’s Eve and by the time I get to that big day, I have already incorporated a lot of good moves into my life. With reasonable goals that are broken down into manageable parts and with an accountability log to keep you on track, you can too. Start today!
A Disclaimer:
This methodology is for resolutions that are mundane such as keeping a bedroom clean. In order to end addictions, abusive relationships, self-harming behaviors, and the like, please seek professional help.
