"January is for dreamers, February is for doers."

With January coming to a close, it's not surprising that many people have already lost the motivation to keep up with their New Year's resolutions. These resolutions are just annoying, positive, unrealistic goals...or not. In June, do you want to look back on the past months and have six months of progress or six months of regret? Six months is roughly 24 weeks, and that is a lot of time for things to change. Below are my tips to maintain discipline over motivation in order to reach your goals.

Before listing your tips below, add one last sentence that sums up your paragraph or offers a smooth transition to your listicle.

Tip #1 - Remember to keep those baby steps

Starting with little habits and small changes can lead to big differences. If, for example, you want to exercise 45 minutes per day, start off with 20 min. Now that it's February, step it up to 30 min. By March, you can up it to 45 minutes. There you go. You've reached your goal within three months instead of giving up after the first month. Keep going on for three more months, and you've got six months of progress.

Tip #2 - Repeat self affirmations

Write them down. Say them in your head. Repeat them whenever you want. Self affirmations have proven to be effective, and even if you don't believe them at first, they can change your mindset in the end. Why do I suggest this? To help you believe in yourself. If you don't believe you can achieve your goals, there's a very strong chance you will give up in February, and you are so much more capable than that. Below is the affirmation I use the most.

"I am in control of my thoughts and actions."

Tip #3 - Write down your wins

At the end of each day, I want you to write down one good thing that happened. Whether it was getting in some movement, having time to watch Netflix, or eating at a restaurant with friends, write it down in a notebook. Look back on this notebook anytime you need to, but especially when you're lacking motivation. Your wins reflect your actions, and your actions reflect the steps you are bravely taking to achieve your goals.

Tip #4 - Remember: Discipline over motivation

Motivation is a feeling you have to achieve something. Discipline is a force that drives you to finish a task. Motivation can dry out, but discipline is always there. When you don't feel like doing something, ignore that feeling. If you must, force yourself to finish. If you cave in to negative thoughts, you'll never achieve those goals.

Final Takeaway

Keeping up with goals after losing motivation is difficult, but with these tips, I am confident you can achieve anything. It's worked for me, helping me with my mental health and acceptance with my body. I know it really is difficult to drag yourself out of a negative place, but I believe in you.