Winter

How To Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick

Come the end of every year, a nagging voice in our heads returns like clockwork to say, “The New Year is about to begin. What should my resolutions be?” And so we are forced into deciding, knowing full well that by the middle of January we’ve abandoned them even though this year was supposed to be different.

But never fear, we’re here to change that! Read on for some of our best tips for following through on your resolutions and setting yourself up for success.

FIVE STEPS TO STICKING TO RESOLUTIONS

1. BE PRACTICAL– The surest way to feel as though you’ve failed is to start with a goal that’s unattainable in the first place. Are you telling yourself that you’re going to run a marathon in two months when you haven’t been exercising for years? That’s probably not realistic, but with the right time frame and a plan in place, this is certainly doable! Which brings us to our next tip …
2. PLAN, PLAN, AND PLAN SOME MORE – More often than not, we dive right in without a plan for attaining our goals. Set yourself up for success by being specific about your resolution and then deciding what manageable steps you can take each day, week, month, etc. to achieve it. For example, if you’re looking to be healthier, as so many of us are, start by making small weekly changes such as focusing on eating an extra serving of vegetables each day the first week, drinking eight cups of water a day the second week, aiming to get 1,000 more steps each day the third week, and so on and so forth.
3. SHARE WITH OTHERS – If you feel comfortable, it can really help to talk about your resolution with friends and loved ones. They will be happy to support and encourage you. Going a step further, you may find even further motivation in buddying up with a friend or family member who shares the same resolution!
4. TRACK AND REWARD – There’s a great quote, “Sit back and enjoy the journey. Success is found along the way.” When working towards a goal, it is helpful to celebrate each and every step along the way. Going back to the marathon analogy, each week simply focus on running a half mile further; that’s fantastic! Soon those half miles become full miles, then tens of miles, and before you know it, you’ve reached 26.2 miles! And don’t forget to celebrate your milestones on the path. Rewards such as new workout clothes, a massage, a nice dinner out, etc. help keep the motivation going.
5. BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND KEEP GOING – We are truly our own biggest critics, and being kind to yourself is easier said than done. However, it’s crucial to remember this, especially when you embark upon a new journey. If you have a hard time remembering, it may be helpful to write positive affirmations on post-it notes and place them in areas you see each day, i.e. the bathroom mirror, in your car, on your desk. Do the best you can each day, and take it one day at a time. Setbacks are bound to happen, but every day is a new opportunity to recommit yourself and get back on track.

GO FOR IT

There you have it… just a few suggestions from our team that will hopefully guide you to achieving your goals for the upcoming year. Every January (and really, every day) offers the opportunity for a clean slate- so we encourage you to go for it! A beautiful new year awaits, and we are here to cheer you on!