As the ball drops at midnight and you sip a glass of champagne to ring in the new year, you may already have a New Year’s resolution on your mind. Maybe you want to eat healthier, work out more, or quit smoking. But how do you keep a New Year’s resolution when more than half of them fail?
Just know, you can change your habits and lifestyle. And you can achieve your resolutions. But it will take some hard work to get it done.
To help you become part of the small community of people who realize their goals, here are 7 steps to help you keep your New Year’s resolution!
1. Pick one goal to focus on.
Whatever your resolution is this year, make sure you focus on one thing that is doable and meaningful to you. Too many goals can make it difficult to focus and become overwhelming.
So pick one area you want to change, choose an achievable goal, and then build a concrete resolution around that.
For instance, your resolve to be more active. That’s great, but what does that mean? If a resolution is too big or unclear, it becomes difficult to keep it, and we give up.
Instead, create a more specific goal like “I will walk 3 times a week for 15 minutes.” Completely doable and much clearer on what it is you want to achieve.
And as you are successful with one change, you can make another change the following month. So you go from walking for 15 minutes to 25 minutes or you increase it from 3 days to 4.
2. Make a plan
Your resolution won’t magically fall into place – you have to make a plan to make it happen! So start that research. Read books, articles, or blogs about your resolution. And then put together the resources and plans you need.
If your resolution is to pay down your debt this year, one thing you’ll need is a budget. Want to start running? Buy running shoes, work out clothes, and load up your phone with running playlists.
Then break your New Year’s resolution plan down into small steps.
For example, your main goal is to pay down your debt by $5,000. So your first micro goal is to pay $100 a month towards that debt. When you achieve that the first month, your next micro goal is to up that by $25 a week to get to $200 a month. And as you achieve each micro goal, you build up toward your main resolution.
By knowing what you need to get started and not waiting until the last minute, you eliminate any excuses to not start working on your resolution. You’re planning for success!
3. Pick a start date
You don’t have to wait for New Year’s to get started. You can start at any time!
Maybe January 1 isn’t a great time because the kids are out of school and you have family in town. So start January 15 or February 1 instead when you’re back to a more normal schedule.
You can even start before New Year’s. If you’re excited from making your plan, don’t wait. Get going on your resolution now!
Whenever your start day is, when it arrives, go for it 100%.
4. Don’t be afraid to change your plan
No plan is perfect, and life happens. Start thinking about the potential problems you’ll encounter once you have your plan. How will you handle them?
Maybe your resolution was to get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning to go for a short walk before work. But you’re struggling to get up early. So move your walk to a different part of your day that doesn’t make it feel like a chore – so take 15 minutes during your lunch break or save your walk for the evening.
If things change (and they will), be open to changing your plan. Just know there is no failure in trying out different ways to meet your resolution.
5. Track your progress
Seeing your progress is so motivating! Reviewing where you started and how far you’ve come will motivate you on the days it’s hard to get going.
So download an app that allows you to mark off days, create a spreadsheet, use a journal, or get a tracker tool. Whatever you think will work to help see how far you’ve come.
6. Accept failures will happen
There are going to be days when you fail. Maybe you don’t go for your daily walk or you yell at your kids or you get that soda at lunch.
It’s going to happen (and it happens to all of us). When it does, don’t beat yourself up. Give yourself some grace, figure out what triggered the moment, and learn from it. How are you going to avoid it happening again?
If getting your kids ready in the morning feels like a rush and that’s when you yell, start getting things ready the night before to take the stress off. If you miss your daily soda, stock up on bubbly waters, tea, and other alternatives to help curb your cravings.
What’s most important is you keep trying for success.
7. Pick rewards
Rewards are what will encourage you to keep working on your New Year’s resolution.
When you first start, keep the rewards small and frequent. If you eat meatless one day a week, buy yourself a new cooking magazine or take a trip to your favorite coffee shop. As time goes on, change the rewards to monthly. Then plan for a special anniversary reward as the one-year mark approaches because it’s time to celebrate!
It’s your life, and you make your own luck.
And only you can make changes happen in your life. Remember, you’re playing the long game, and it’ll take time to make those changes. At 305 Deco Living, we’ll be cheering you on as you do!