Making New Year’s Resolutions You Can Keep

Making New Year’s Resolutions You Can Keep

2016 is coming to an end and, for many people, that means making New Year’s resolutions. Every year, we set these resolutions with good intentions, however, by the time December rolls around again most of us have broken them. Very few people actually stick with their resolutions for the entire year. That said, it’s certainly possible to set a New Year’s resolution and keep it going. It takes time, effort, dedication and, most importantly, it needs to be a reasonable goal that is properly set.

What does a “properly set” resolution mean? What is a “reasonable goal?” Here are a few tips for making New Year’s resolutions that you will actually keep.

Don’t Try to Do Too Much

A surefire way to slip on your resolutions is by making too many of them. If you decide to lose weight, quit smoking, read more, travel, call your mother more often, find a new job, learn to cook, and save more money all at the same time, you’re almost guaranteed to fail at at least one or two of your resolutions. This can leave you feeling discouraged and make it more likely that you’ll give up entirely.

Set a Firm Goal

Saying “I’m going to lose 15 pounds this year” is a lot better resolution than “I’m going to lose weight.” It gives you something concrete to strive towards and also allows you to measure your progress, which can help you reach your goal.

Get Support

Tell your friends, family members or personal trainer about your resolution. Not only will this make you accountable to someone else for your actions, but it will also put you in a position to get help when you need it. Plus, you might find that your friends have similar resolutions to you, which can certainly be helpful. Exercising with a friend, for example, is often a lot more fun than working out alone. So, if your resolution is to hit the gym more often, tell a friend. He or she might be willing to go with you.

Make Modifications

Your New Year’s resolutions are not set in stone. It’s important that you check in on your resolution periodically and make modifications to your goal as you go on. Changing your goal isn’t failure. It’s being realistic. Think about it: It’s preferable to change your goal from “I will lose 15 pounds” to “I will lose ten pounds” if you actually accomplish your modified goal. Failing to change your resolution no matter the circumstances will just set you up to quit.