Another year is coming to an end, and many of us are gathering our willpower for a new set of New Year’s resolutions. But have we learned from past experience? A large number, if not most, of the previous resolutions, probably broke down in weeks, days or even hours.
So how to make this occasion more successful? Well, it’s not as hard as you might think – there are some effortless ways to get on the path to success. Here are 10 tips to help you get started.
1. Keep your specific resolutions
Sometimes people find themselves aiming to review their entire lifestyle, and this is simply a recipe for disappointment and guilt. It may be understandable at this time of year when self-improvement is in mind, but experience shows that these things cannot be achieved all at once. The best approach is to focus clearly on one or two of your most important goals.
So instead of taking the vague resolution of » getting in shape,» frame it as something more like «going to the gym three times a week.» It’s something you can clearly understand and measure. It’s achievable because you’re not setting an unrealistic expectation that you need to exercise every day (which isn’t even necessary to see results, by the way).
2. Plan ahead of time
Many people make New Year’s resolutions on a whim, caught up in the excitement of New Year’s Eve. However, when they wake up the next morning, they forget they made a resolution or ignore it. If you really want to change something for next year, plan ahead.
Also, prepare a game plan on how you’re going to meet your resolution. For example, if you want to lose weight, you need to decide on a diet and exercise routine. You can sneak workouts into your day or plan another way to exercise and stay healthy while saving money.
3. Commit to 21 days
Experts say it takes about 21 days for a new activity to become a habit and six months for it to become part of your personality. It won’t happen overnight, so be persistent and patient!
If that’s the case, focus on spending January 21 if you made the habit, great! If you decide you don’t like your resolve, at least you gave it a fair chance.
4. Surround yourself with supporters, not saboteurs
Everyone has that friend who’s there for you the moment you say you want us to go to an exercise class together. And that friend who knows you’re trying to stick to your budget but who’s still pressuring you to book a luxury getaway with her.
To prepare for the success of total resolution, surround yourself with people you know will support your efforts and may have similar goals. You don’t have to avoid permissive friends completely, but by spending less time with them and more time with the kind of people who will encourage and support you, you are much more likely to stay on the right path.
5. Reward yourself
When making a plan, a vital feature should be the rewards and rewards that you will give yourself at those important milestones. ¡ But be careful! This does not mean you can eat a whole box of chocolates if your resolution is to eat with a better diet.
Instead, celebrate your success by indulging in something you enjoy that doesn’t contradict your resolution. If you’ve kept your promise to eat better, for example, reward yourself with new clothes for exercise or going to the movies with a friend.
6. Follow your progress
You can do it in different ways: taking pictures of yourself each week, keeping a checklist of everything you’ve accomplished, or charting how far you’ve come in your mirror with lipstick (hey, you do it).
This kind of «self-control» increases your chances of maintaining resolution. This is because you are more likely to stay motivated if you can literally see how far you have come and clearly visualize the work you still have to do.
7. Don’t give up
Keep in mind that a slip-up is almost inevitable at some point, and you should not let this become an excuse to surrender. When it happens, you will need to draw on your reserves of self-belief and strength, so build these qualities as often as you can.
If in mid-February, you run out of strength to fulfill your resolve, don’t despair. Start again! Recommit yourself for 24 hours. You can do anything for 24 hours. The 24-hour increments will soon accumulate and, before you know it, you’ll be back on the road.
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