Another year draws near to its finale and people all across the globe are hoping that this New Year is the year that pesky resolution will stick. According to U.S. News, 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February. Sometimes we perceive our goals as unattainable or we lack genuine motivation and support, but don’t worry! There are many ways to keep you going.
Try these 7 tips to help you maintain your resolution this New Year:
1. Start with the WHY
It’s always important to consider your purpose before you do something. Ask yourself, “Why do I want to accomplish this goal?” The answer will serve as your motivation and reward. You need both to propel you forward.
2. Make it Specific, Realistic, and Measurable
Oftentimes, we make big or obscure goals – vague goals like “get fit.” Try being specific and using numbers: “work out for 30 minutes, four times a week” or “lose 20 pounds by June.” You can easily track consistency with the first goal and measure progress using a number and timeframe with the second goal. Make your goal quantifiable to clarify the endpoint.
3. Design a Plan
Making a change in your life isn’t exactly the time to try winging it. One of the best things to do is set up a timeline. If I hadn’t had deadlines for stories and essays in school, let’s face the truth, they’d never have gotten done. Like the second goal in the last tip, give yourself a timeframe or checkpoints to reach.
4. Break it Down
Diving head-first into a resolution can often feel overwhelming. Start small to ease yourself into a seemingly daunting goal. When I decided to go vegan, I emboldened myself by planning to try it just for a week first. After finishing that week successfully, I increased my goal to another week. Soon, I overcame whatever worries had been holding me back. Now I’ve been vegan for over a year and I plan to stay vegan for life. Make a big goal, like losing X pounds, seem less impossible by breaking down the goal into portions: achieving smaller weight loss goals week by week. Rewarding yourself after you complete each portion can also keep you motivated!
5. Leave Reminders Where You’ll See Them
I’m the type of person that needs visible reminders. Sometimes I create alerts on my phone, I used to leave post-it notes on my mirror, and recently, I’ve been using a small whiteboard that hangs right where I’ll see it when I leave my room. Planners, to-do lists, and memos can be helpful as long as they’re placed somewhere that you’ll be guaranteed to look at them and remember.
6. Recruit Accountability Partners
While you certainly need to be responsible for your own resolution, it’s not a bad idea to surround yourself with people to support, encourage, and remind you. Speaking your goal aloud to someone else will help truly cement your goal in reality. Ask a trustworthy friend, someone with a similar goal, or a social group to check in on your progress every once in a while and keep you accountable.
7. Track Your Progress
You’ve started with the WHY to gather your motivation, but to remain motivated you need to be aware of your progress. Jot down notes about celebrated milestones and ideas to move past bumps in the road. Keeping track of your progress will help you determine if you’re moving in the right direction towards your resolution or if you might need to think of a new plan of action. But remember that one mistake doesn’t mean failure. Stay positive and persevere!
A New Year’s resolution is a great way to make a positive change in your life. Resolutions are often made just for the ceremony of it, but hopefully, these tips can help you keep up and reach your goal. May this new year hold great joy, blessings, and achievements for you. We’ll see you in 2019!
