This post is sponsored by Ocean Spray® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.
As we begin a new year my mind races to New Year resolutions and goals I’m setting forth to achieve. Every year, every season and every time has its challenges, its ups and downs as well as the fun and adventure that goes along with the changing of times.

Anytime I am setting my goals I remind myself to be realistic, reasonable and make sure my goals are even attainable. In other words, I’m not going to set one of my goals this year to run a marathon – there is no way I could even attain that! So here are my tips on setting your New Year Goals.
Setting goals comes naturally to me. Whether it’s a goal that I set out to accomplish in a day, a week a month, a quarter or a year. I stick well with having goals…ask my husband – I am forever writing a list – setting a goal – and pretty much will do anything I have to do to attain it.
1- Set a goal you’ve accomplished before that you’d like to do again
Is there something you’ve done in the past that you’d like to do again? Make that a goal – goals don’t have to be new every year! Light bulb moment for most of us, right?

2- If you set a goal – make sure it is a small change to your lifestyle
For me, I like to set goals within our home i.e. changing an eating habit. I take small steps because it’s like when someone goes on a diet and they swing so far to the other direction it’s hard for them to stick to it, rather taking small steps and making them a new lifestyle is better in the end.

For me every year I set a goal within our family when it comes to food! Surprise, surprise! In-store at Target, Walmart, and Kroger you can find this unsweetened cranberry juice that is closest to the whole fruit! Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice is made with single fruit yet filled with health benefits to fuel your everyday. We can drink this as a stand-alone juice or I can add it into smoothies. This helps me make the small change of adding more fruit (Each 8-ounce glass of Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice is equal to 1 cup of fruit) into our diet and less sugar this coming year! Other benefits are that it has no sugar added, no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives and is non-GMO! Knowing that with each bottle of Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice it is made from over 850 cranberries and contains 100% cranberry juice! WIN!

Finding products like the Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice helps me attain my personal goals throughout the year!
3- Set an entirely NEW goal this year/season!
Is there something new you’d like to try, do or change? Go for it! This is partly a challenge to make yourself set out and attain it. You can do it – if it’s a bigger goal which overwhelms you – then just break it down into small goals to help you attain the “big” goal! Baby steps gets you there every time!!


4- Find someone to be accountable to
Have that someone you can report to or that will ask you from time to time how your goals are coming along. Whether it’s the spouse, a parent, sibling or friend – ask if they’ll keep you accountable!
5- You don’t set yearly goals, break them down into monthly or seasonal goals
Goals can be for a month, a season/quarterly etc., not every goal has to last an entire year long! I think so many times we get in our head that when we sit down to at the beginning of a new year where everyone is making New Year’s resolutions that our resolutions and goals have to last an entire year – nope, they don’t have to!

Remember if you fail – it’s ok, sometimes that’s healthy because it helps us attain other goals or try that same goal again!
*the USDA MyPlate recommends a daily intake of 2 cups of fruit for a 2,000 calorie diet
Susan says
I have found having an accountability partner is a huge encouragement to my sticking to new goals. (and suddenly I’m in the mood for a big glass of cranberry juice! Heading to the store now.)