Although the New Year has come and gone, it is never too late to commit to a New Year's resolution. Often, we make resolutions and only act on them for the first few weeks of the year. Life gets busy, and we slowly forget why we committed to the goal in the first place. Here are ten tips on how to keep your New Year's resolution for the entire year.
1. Be specific in what you want to achieve
We can often get ahead of ourselves when we create a resolution. Instead of choosing many little goals to achieve during the year, select one main, specific goal that inspires you. It's important not to be too broad or general when writing a resolution. Instead of deciding that your plan is to be more productive, create a specific goal related to your productivity or what you would like to accomplish each day.
2. Choose a goal you want to achieve
It may seem obvious that your New Year's resolution should be something that you want to do, but it is still essential to remember and think about your resolution. You are more likely to fulfill your resolution if it is something you care about rather than something you think you have to do to make those around you happy. Your resolution is for you and you only!
3. Make a plan
A successful resolution takes more than just an idea. If you want to achieve your goal, create a plan. This will eliminate the overwhelming feeling of how do I do this? You can write your plan on a calendar, a computer, or just a piece of scrap paper.
It does not need to be fancy. Be realistic with yourself when creating your plan.
4. Start off small
For optimal results, start gradually. Do not overwhelm yourself. As you adjust to your resolution, you can increase the difficulty of your plan.
Remember, whatever you are doing is something new that you aren't used to. If your goal is to eat healthier, don't change everything you're eating on the first day. First, exchange a few of your unhealthy favorites for better alternatives. Take it slow!
5. Be nice to yourself
Nobody is perfect, and everyone experiences setbacks. If it were easy, everyone would do it. Remember, your resolution does not determine your worth and is meant to be a positive, encouraging experience—not a negative one. If you have a hard day, dust yourself off, and remind yourself that tomorrow is a new day with new opportunities.
6. Celebrate your victories
Just as you should not beat yourself up for setbacks, you should celebrate the progress you make. Your resolution is a goal that you are following through to make yourself better, and that is something to be proud of. With that being said, reward yourself with something that does not go against your resolution and the very work you are celebrating.
7. Don't be Afraid to have a cheat day
While you want to commit to your goal, it is okay to allow yourself an off-day. We all need a break sometimes. When creating your plan on achieving success, allocate a few cheat days for yourself to enjoy.
When your cheat day rolls around, enjoy it, but make sure to do it in moderation. Moderation is key to being able to enjoy these cheat days.
8. Ask someone to hold you accountable
While your resolution is something personal and only about you, it can help to have someone keep you accountable during your journey. If you feel comfortable, share your goal with a friend or family member and see if they will be your accountability partner. Sometimes all we need to achieve our goals is someone standing by our side, reminding us why we began in the first place.
9. Push Yourself
Like I mentioned earlier, if achieving your goal was easy, everyone would do it. Sticking with your resolution for the entire year is not going to be effortless, and you will have days when you want to give up. On days like this, it's essential to push yourself.
Allow the fear and discouragement to make you even better. If you keep moving, you will achieve your goal.
10. Focus on the present
Take it one day at a time. Instead of thinking about how far you have to go, think about how far you have already come. You have accomplished one of the hardest steps; picking a resolution and deciding to stick with it. The future is unpredictable; don't allow it to stop you from achieving what you want.
