Summary: Follow these 6 tips that will help you keep your resolutions in the new year.
We’ve all done it year after year. We have the best of intentions to start this year off differently, to change something and to make ourselves better. But then a couple weeks in, our resolve starts to dissipate and our habits slowly start going back to how they were before. Sometimes we give up all at once, but most often it’s a workout missed here, a few days off from your gratitude journal there, or sneaking in that extra glass of wine one too many nights during the week. Before you know it, you’re back at square one and beating yourself up for not having enough “willpower” to make it through. It may seem “just too hard,” but if there’s something that you really want to change in 2017, then here are some tips to help you make those New Year resolutions stick.
- Pick one thing. When we try to change too many habits at once, we usually get overwhelmed and end up quitting because we feel deprived. Choose one thing that’s really important to you, work on that for a couple weeks or months, and then start adding in another goal.
- Break your big goal into smaller pieces. Maybe your goal is to lose 20lbs, but let’s be real – that might take some time. It’s easy to get frustrated when you don’t see a big goal happening, so take that bigger goal and break it down into smaller ones. Like lose 2lbs, and then 2lbs again. Or even take it a step further and include goals that will get you there, like workout 5 times this week or eat 5 servings of vegetables every day.
- Plan ahead. Don’t just decide to start your goals one day and show up with nothing. If you want to lose weight, choose a workout program, find some healthy meal options, and make a plan for your week. If you’re working on becoming more in tune with your emotions, buy a journal you love or find a podcast that you think will be encouraging. This way you won’t feel lost when you want to get started.
- Choose a reasonable start date. Just because it’s a New Year’s resolution doesn’t mean you have to start on January 1st. Choose a start date soon after the new year that works best for your schedule and be sure to stick to that date.
- Recruit a friend. Having the accountability of someone else doing the same thing you’re doing can make a world of difference when it comes to reaching your goals. When you’re doing something new and working hard by yourself, you often feel alone and it’s easier to quit. Knowing that someone else is counting on you to hold them accountable as well will not only push you to try harder, but it will make you feel like you’re a part of something bigger.
- Be kind to yourself. More than likely, you’re going to have days where you mess up or you don’t reach your goal. You are human. It’s okay to mess up and it’s okay to fail, but beating yourself up is only going to make it worse. Give yourself some grace and keep moving forward, learning from whatever setbacks you’ve had.