"It's really one decision and one small step every day to get to where you want to go." - Professional Lifecoach Kari Penner

Resolution-making can be a rather daunting task. We took this topic to the pros and Lifecoach Kari Penner gave us great tips.

Kari claims that decision-making is rather detrimental in choosing your resolution for the year.

"It's really one decision and one small step every day to get to where you want to go. That decision works positively and negatively. If you do one thing every single day that is positive or negative, that is your outcome."

Penner also noted that habits and patterns have an important role to play in resolutions, "We already have habits and patterns..we have to go back and think 'well if I change one thing, what will have the most impact?' You want to choose one thing, whatever it is this year. Visualize 'what is life going to look like? What do I want my life to look like?' Make some rules about it. Is this a personal or family goal? When do you accomplish it? Whatever those rules are, they need to be established as well."

Sometimes we choose resolutions that can be quite hard to accomplish. Kari addressed this matter and provided her words of advice on it.

"Break it into smaller pieces. What do I need to do every day to make this goal? What is it do you need to do to break your goal into small pieces? How many pieces is it going to be for one whole goal? Then we have to track our progress. Is breaking [this goal] down going well? Are you reaching that goal? Doing this means you are prepared. Having reminders, sticky notes, or having reminders pop up on your phone can help you stay on track with accountability. Focus on the joy in the process. 'What am I doing that's actually working?' Make sure that [you] celebrate the joy of doing it."

Setting more than one goal can be too much for most of us to handle. Kari feels its much healthier to make one resolution rather than a list.

"Setting up one goal is important because we often don't consider the factors that make up a goal. Sometimes you need a lateral shift to change what you're doing rather than completely stopping something and starting something else. This could cause a hole that you don't know how to fill. We can only focus on one thing at a time. If we try to multitask or do too many things at once we can break down due to variables we don't realize or cant control. We don't often consider until we get into it. That's why many resolutions fail. We don't see from a larger perspective all the things that go into a goal to make the change.You have to consider how your goal could affect other people as well."

If you have fallen off track with your goals already, Kari provided a tip for you as well.

"Sometimes it's just looking back at what the point was for doing what you're wanting to do anyway. What is the goal? Is it to just get it done, or make yourself better every day? It's not a race [to get your resolution done], it is the journey. If you've already blown a resolution, it's okay. Just get back to the goal. It's better to restart than to quit."

"Every day is new. The Bible says 'God's mercies are new every morning.' Every day is a brand new start. The next decision you make can be the right decision."

Setting a time frame to your goal can be rather effective as well, Kari states, "I have some resolutions that don't start until April. You have to look at the timing of something. If it's taking you some time to get traction on resolutions, it's okay to scale it back and adapt it so it will be achievable. That can be having a conversation with someone."

When it comes to goal setting, remembering the little things is what will help you truly see progress.

"Actually giving yourself the commitment to celebrate what you did accomplish, and giving yourself permission to change it if needed. If you're not doing what you need to do every single day, it can seem disappointing. You may need to realign those goals. We have to be our own best cheerleader. Going back to the Bible and grabbing onto those promises every day is a good way to cheer yourself on in resolutions."

Kari Penner recommends churches, local support groups, and getting someone who is willing to work with you on your resolution. "It may require getting out of your comfort zone, but hearing you say something out loud makes your brain believe it. Saying it out loud to yourself is a good start, and saying it out loud to another is the next best thing." She also offers her services to anyone who needs an ear to listen, whether for five minutes or an hour.