Get some resolve: Five tips for keeping your New Year’s Resolutions

Every year without fail most people I know make serious and purposeful proclamations of the phenomenal advancements to themselves and for themselves that they will be making in the new year. Yet next Christmas, it tends to be unlikely that they’ll have kept that gym membership, continued to eat plenty of leafy green vegetables, or even simply made more time for themselves. Whatever your resolution is, I’m sure that you want to see that it sticks, so that come 2015 you won’t be making the same

declaration you are this year. Here’s how:

1. Set realistic goals

This may sound a little obvious, but even a slight overstep can cause even the resolutions with the most firm of intent to fail. I mean, you don’t just walk out of your house and embark on an expedition to everest, there has to be steps and gradual progress made. For example, if your resolution is to lose 30 pounds, try with something more attainable, like five pounds, and then another five and so on. This way, your goal won’t seem quite so distant and unreachable, and you’ll be a lot less likely to just give up.

2. Make your goal something you want

Again, this tip might sound a little silly, and you might be thinking “What? Of course I want this, it’s my resolution isn’t it?” but its surprising when we think about it how much of our actions are the result of

other peoples’ opinions. If your mom/dad/sister/brother/other family member/significant other/friends have been pushing you to eat heather/go to the gym/do better in school/ext. and this “thing” that everyone else wants so desperately for you becomes, ta da, your resolution, then well, I’m sorry to break it to you, but that isn’t YOUR resolution, its what other people want for you! Make your resolution not what other people suggest, not what you think you should want, but what YOU want for YOU! It’s a simple as that!

3. Make a list of the pros and cons

Ok so you’ve got your super fabulous, extra realistic goal in mind and you’re ready to go! Not so fast though, if you want to stick with it you need to consider exactly why you’ve made the decision you’ve made. Its time to think of the pros and cons of you’re goal, or conversely, not fulfilling your goal. Weighing the benefits will not only put things in perspective for you, but looking at the negatives of not

fulfilling the goal, while contrasting the positives of going through with it will further strengthen your resolve.

4. Set “triggers” for yourself

A lot of the time, when people don’t end up meeting their resolution it simply be because, like most of us I’m sure, are just too busy, and their resolution becomes drowned in a tidal wave of other responsibilities, chores, and well, life in general. Once you’ve fallen out of the habit of your resolution, it becomes easily forgotten until its time to make next year’s resolution (oh no!). A great way to make sure that your resolution does not get forgotten about or swept away by the onset of time, life and the plethora of activities that come with it, is to set little reminders for yourself, “triggers” if you will, that will nag at you to persist with your goal. For example, if your goal is to eat more vegetables, then get more vegetables in your life, put them in snack bags to take with you, keep your counters well stocked as well as your fridge. If your goal is to go to the gym more, keep your gym stuff ready to go in a bag near your front door. There are no excuses when your resolution is staring you straight in the face even in the comfort of your own home!

5. Let go

Sometimes a goal might not be the right fit, and something you decided last December just might not be working by July. This is ok. Letting go of your original goal and modifying it to fit you and where your at is completely ok. It doesn’t mean you failed, it means that your original goal was unrealistic (see #1!) and that you’ve recognized that, and you’re going to continue to try to reach towards a better you. If you get to this point, you should congratulate yourself, not only for making it this far, but also for recognizing what is attainable and what is not. That’s a major achievement, and definitely one worth continuing to strive for.

I think that the gist of it really is that while it is a new year it’s not a new you. It’s the same you as it was before clock struck 12, and no magical transformation has occurred. A resolution is not meant to be easy, or we all would have done it already. A new year doesn’t mean a new you, but with work, it can certainly mean a better you.