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How To Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution
New Year’s resolutions are tough to keep, no matter how simple they seem. After all, resolutions are really things you want for yourself to be a better person. One of our core values is to Activate Self-Esteem, so anything you do to make yourself feel better about who you are is a step in the right direction. Here are a few methods that will help to ensure that your commitment to those New Year’s resolutions won’t end up slacking off by February.
- Don’t Go Out with a Bang – Say your resolution is to quit smoking (a good one, I might add). There’s no reason to reserve New Year’s Eve to smoke all the cigs you can. Sure, you’ll wake up the next morning with your lungs feeling like ashtrays, but binging isn’t going to make you want a cigarette any less a few weeks later. Instead, if you choose to do something cold turkey, don’t put a lot of pressure on it. If you have to constantly remind yourself not to do something, it will be that much more present in your mind, thus defeating the purpose.
- Don’t Talk About It (or Do) – I don’t know about you, but when I feel like I talk something up that I am planning, then the expectation is greater that I must do that thing. This can be effective, in that you don’t want to have to explain to your friends and family why you’re not working out, so you’ll be compelled to do it. Adversely, if you set up that expectation, and you aren’t able to accomplish your goal, you’ll feel guilty and just avoid those people who you’ve been telling that you’re losing 20 pounds. The compromise should be telling your resolutions to a selective number of people who will support you unconditionally. Who knows, maybe your dear friends will help you by taking on your resolutions as their own, and nothing is more motivating than a little camaraderie.
- Plan Ahead, and Stick to the Plan – Resolutions can be especially tough to stay with if you wait until New Year’s Day and then say “I’m going to do a thousand crunches every day this year!” A thousand crunches is something to aspire to, not a place to start. Sure, this is exaggerated, but give yourself some “wiggle room” so you have something to build toward. Outline your plan, building goals from day to day, and stick to it. For a few other ways to help stick to your resolutions, see this article on eHow.com.
- Be OK with Change – Resolutions demand change, after all, that’s the whole point. But change isn’t an easy thing to accomplish. There’s quite a bit of understanding of the mental process involved, too. In fact, Psychology.com has a step-by-step guide to behavior change, covering everything from precontemplation to action. It’s definitely worth a read if you want to know the mental process behind a lifestyle change.
- Forgive Yourself – If you slip up, and you’re bound to, don’t beat yourself up over it. All it takes is finding ways to reward yourself that don’t involve breaking your resolution. So if you go a week without eating sweets, don’t snack on a pound of chocolate, but do give yourself something for doing so well. Take yourself out to the movies, or get that new top you’ve been coveting. (Or if you want something really decadent to spoil yourself, pick up a Spa Refresh kit.) Adversely, if you do break your resolution, don’t punish yourself, but do acknowledge what led you to fall off the wagon in the first place.
New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be a defining moment, either. Just remember that lifestyle changes take time, and baby steps are ok. Remember that you are doing this for YOU, so do what is within your limits. A year is a long time, too, so pace yourself throughout the course. What are some of your New Year’s resolutions? We’d love to hear some of the things you’re doing to be the best you in 2009. Let us know in the comments section.
