Happy New Year!  It is a new year and a new decade!  We all try to make some changes that will improve our quality of life including things such as health, happiness, and other areas of our life that will move us towards living our best life.

What about your store?  Can there be such a thing as a New Year's resolution for your store?  Yes!  Why not?  And, as a resolution partner, your business will help you keep your personal new changes in play!

A New Year’s resolution is any plan, including action, that will move you in the direction you want to go.In terms of your store, this resolution might include adding a new department.It might include learning all the things your POS system can do for you that you aren’t taking advantage of.  Or it might include a plan for employee training each month.You can have big resolutions and break them down to smaller ones, so by the end of the year, you have accomplished the whole resolution!

A couple of general guidelines to consider when choosing your store's resolution(s).  Start small, if you start with steps that are easy, you and your staff are much more likely to continue the activity.And we know, success breeds success.  If you goal is to add a new department, start with a deadline to decide what kind of department it will be.  Get all the input you need before that deadline.  Now you know what type of department you will be adding, start to research products that fit your store, like made in the USA, etc., looking at shows, asking your reps and distributors, and looking online.  Have a deadline to have at least a minimum number of products and needed signage for the area.  Have a deadline for the physical department set up, product and department knowledge, followed by the grand opening activities for that department.  Write each step down on a calendar, the smaller the steps the easier it is to keep going.  When you have accomplished that step, check it off the list!

The key to keeping up your resolution is not skipping the second appointment of your activity.  According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, if you miss one day, or one scheduled activity, don’t beat yourself up.  But, the key to not losing momentum, is to make sure you don’t miss a second day or activity.  Even if your assigned time for that task must be much shorter than what has become the norm, don’t miss that second time assigned to that task, work slower, work shorter, but work it.

Keep in mind your store’s resolution may change as the year progresses.  If you have a big change in your store, you are going to have to be flexible enough to change your resolutions plan.  Don’t lose it altogether, but put that step on next month’s calendar, for instance.  Or your new department may be up and running much sooner than planned.Time for another resolution.  And, good on you!

Use a blank calender to help you keep track of your store’s New Year’s resolution.  Put in your goal or resolution at the top.Mark down in each day’s box what you will do to move toward the goal.  When you have done your day’s activity, check it off.  Maybe check it off not with a check, with a paw print!

Best of luck, to us all, stores and people with our New Years resolutions!  Let’s use them to live our best lives, business, and human alike!