New Year’s Resolutions: Make ’em & Keep ’em!

Written By: Kayalvizhi J.

New-Year_s-Wishes

A new Year is a time to make some life changes. We often set out new goals, plans and resolutions. However, most New Year’s resolutions fail – in fact almost 85% of resolutions fail. Here are some foolproof ways to help ensure that your resolutions stay active past January end.

 

1. Write it Down. Write down your New Year’s resolution somewhere visible. When’s it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind. The best place to put your resolution list is some place you look at daily. Beside your calendar or on your fridge. We often are very optimistic in the beginning of the year and believe we will do many things, but as the year moves on, we lose our motivation and forget our goals. That’s why it’s important to write down your goals somewhere visible and remind yourself often of them.

 

2. Go Public. Tell a few of your friends about your goals and help them keep tabs on your progress. You are more likely to complete a task when you feel accountable for it – and if you told all your friends you were going to something, chances are you would feel motivated to complete it to avoid shame. Plus, when your friends see you, if they keep asking you how your project to paint a portrait is going, you may actually start working on it!

 

3. Baby Steps. When making resolutions, we often write down unrealistic goals. The more realistic we make them, and the smaller we break the goal into, the more likely we can actually achieve our goals. Make your goals into workable and achievable goals. Don’t make “lose weight” a goal. Instead, a workable goal is “lose 0.5 lbs a week by working out X times a week.” It’s more defined and approachable than a general goal. Plus, it’s important to write out how you will achieve your goal. The more clearly defined your goal and method is, the more likely it will happen.

 

4. Give Deadlines. Give yourself a deadline of when you want to achieve something by. When you have a deadline, you are more likely to work toward it because it will seem more concrete. Without deadlines, your goal stays abstract and is always pushed to tomorrow’s to do list. Don’t set everything for January, spread them along the year so that you continue to work towards your goals.

 

5. Reward Yourself. Reward your success. Be proud of yourself and reward your successes. Everyone needs a pat on their back once in awhile – and why not be the one to give yourself one? If you feel good about your successes, you will be more likely to continue to succeed and be motivated.

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