Even though the year is almost over, December can be one of the best month to set goals. It’s a natural time to reflect, reset, and make small, intentional changes before the new year begins. Rather than waiting until January 1st, focusing on micro goals now can help you carry momentum into the next year, boost energy, and end the year on a high note.
The cold weather in winter can make me feel a little slower, so I’ve been thinking about ways to stay focused while also enjoying the season. Studies show that people who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them. With that in mind, I’ve broken my December goals into micro habits across four categories: fitness, career, mental health, and discipline.
Here are my micro goals for the month of December. Hope they encourage you to set some goals for yourself!
Fitness
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Stretch five days a week before working out. I have hip flexor tightness and weak glutes so remembering to do my stretches makes a difference.
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Stick to my weight lifting routine consistently.
For the first time ever I'm working for a trainer! I typically lift free weights at home and haven't used the gym machines in a decade so I wanted a refresher on what to do in the gym.
love my cool new leggings!
Career
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Take a Copilot training course to sharpen my skills.
Mental Health
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Step outside for at least five minutes each day. I work from home and only do a lunchtime walk in spring and fall, so I want to make sure I'm getting some vitamin D.
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Pick one spot in my home and keep it tidy for the month.
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Spend more time reading.
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Prioritize cozy hobbies over screen time.
Discipline
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Aim for eight hours of sleep nightly. I just bought a Ring Conn with a FSA dollars during their Black Friday sale, it's a cheaper version of the Oura ring with no monthly subscription charge. So I plan to track my sleep with it. It's also sold at Target, but if you buy direct you don't have to pick a size, they send you a sizing kit to try on the ring at home to decide.
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Meal prep for the week ahead. Plan Monday through Friday meals.
Created a Project Pan to finish 8 skincare products that are nearly finished. I buy most of my skincare during Black Friday for the whole year so I want to finish what I am currently using before I start anything new. I put them all on a tray so I see them everyday. The Medik8 Toner (far right) I got on June 1 and have used everyday since, do you think I will be able to finish it by the end of the year?
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Clean up my Gmail account. I keep getting messages that my storage is 82% full. I've already deleted all the emails with large attachments so now its just the tedious job of mass deleting the 84K emails I have. lol Because I will not be paying gmail for more storage! I already pay for cloud storage for my phone and yahoo just offered me more email storage!
No Buy December after all my Black Friday Shopping.
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Document wins each week and write one sentence about how I got 1% better.
Other intentions for December include planning friend hangouts, so far I've gone to a comedy show with a friend, have a happy hour coming up and a zumbathon.
The key takeaway? You don’t need huge resolutions. Micro goals, consistent habits, and small daily wins can make the last month of the year feel intentional and energizing.
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After I wrote this Mel Robbins released a podcast episode called The 7‑Day Habit Reset: Start Today, Feel Different By Next Week that I highly recommend you listen to. The expert she had on, Charles Duhigg, said you have to do three keystone things for everything else to ripple through your life: Exercise, Morning routine and Track progress. "Being successful in life isn't about talent, but rather about habits. Excellence is not an act, it's a habit." Mel said, when we have healthy habits (exercise, alcohol, spending) it changes your identity. Your brain pays attention to how you behave.
Charles said that exercise compounds and leads to other changes like eating better, being more productive, and spending less money. Exercise causes a ripple of other positive change. Habits are an energy saving technique that our brains uses so that we can think about other things. Take away all the need for will power by making it automatic, you don't think about it, you just do it. Morning Routine influences how you feel about the rest of the day. Should have three components ARC: create Anticipation, Relaxation (nervous system is calm, shower, make your bed), and Connection (we are happiest when we socialize with other people). You should believe that you can change any habit. Any habit can be changed. We have the power to be the people we want to be by changing our habits.
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