Remember those resolutions you made in the first week of January? Yes, the ones that you forgot by the second week and went back to your routine. Don’t feel sorry for forgetting them, according to research, only about 8% of people who make resolutions follow them through. Guess you, and I are part of the 92% that decided we had more important things to do than follow through on a few promises we made.
For the next few weeks or so, you will stumble on a lot of articles on why you should carry out resolutions, what are the right resolutions and so on. But today, I want to tackle a practice, yet efficient routine we can use to ensure we follow through on our promises. Since practicability is an essential part of it, we are going to pick a reasonable resolution. One of my biggest struggles over the years has been keeping in touch with my friends and family, and having an authentic relationship with them. Let’s use that as our subject matter for today.
So, how do we create authentic relationships with our friends and family?
- Have an accountability partner
I have realized you can get a lot more done if you have a voice breathing down your neck. But on a serious note, an accountability partner is just what keeps you on your toes. Someone who isn’t shy about asking you how far you are and what progress you’ve made so far, someone who isn’t shy to call you out when you slack of and put you on the straight and narrow.
- Be intentional
Last week, I was having coffee with a buddy of mine, and after I ranted off about how much I wanted to do for the year, he asked me how intentional I was about it. I took the question lightly, but later, I pondered on it.
How deliberate are we about calling our siblings and checking up on them?
I, for one, only reach out when I want something and rarely do I lack an ulterior motive. It’s time I changed that. It’s time we all changed up.
If you really want to keep tabs on your family and friends, you need to genuinely look for them and set time apart to spend with them. Maybe organize a lunch or outing with your family members for you to bond.
Family together. Image from http://educationpost.org/black-families-have-a-long-history-of-using-school-choice-as-resistance-to-racist-and-inadequate-school-systems/
- Celebrate the small wins
If your resolve is similar to mine, you probably envision having a big family gathering at the end of the year, with everyone in attendance. You envision seeing relatives you haven’t seen in the last decade, and nieces and nephews you never knew existed because you were busy shaping your career.
However, this may not be practical, especially if your family is as big as mine. This is why you need to celebrate the small wins, as you work towards the milestone. Every phone call you make to your cousin is a win, and every WhatsApp group you start for your family should be celebrated. It is such small goals that keep us motivated towards the bigger picture.
There are multiple other equivocal actions that could help out, but why not start with these and see how far that takes you?
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