Tips For Sticking To Your New Year’s Resolutions

So the new year is upon us. That’s right 2016 is far behind us and 2017 is ahead. As with every new year comes new resolutions, some which we have already broken, some we might break in the next few days and some we try our best to keep true to but still end up breaking. After all, we are human and to err is human, so we can’t expect to stick to something that wasn’t ingrained in us in the first place. However we can change the way we look at our resolutions and how we plan to upkeep them so here are a few tips on staying faithful to the promise you made to yourself at the break of this new year:

1. Set specific goals.Many people in the spirit of New Year’s loudly proclaim, “This is the year I’m going to finally get in shape.” But what does that mean? Do you intend to lose a certain number of pounds? Reach a body-fat percentage goal? Run three miles without rest? Do 10 pull-ups a day? Well, that’s where we fall short sometimes, we want something but we did not clearly define how we plan to achieve it. Set specific goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. The first and most important step in changing ones behaviour is knowing exactly what “it” is that we want.
2. Keep a record of your progress.“If you can measure it, you can change it” is a fundamental principal of psychology. These measurements will be a source of motivation as you reflect on where you started and where you are. They will also help you to identify plateaus or “sticking points” in your progress so you can adjust your efforts and continue at the same pace or even greater.
3. Be patient.Realistic goals must be set and the onus is on you to realize that progress is not one straight road. There will be bumps, pits and hurdles. The important thing is that you keep pushing and moving forward. For some changes start fast and then becomes slow, sometimes even plateauing; for others it is painfully slow but as it becomes routine, the pace increases. It must therefore be noted that if a lasting change should be achieved, a great deal of time is necessary.

4. Make your goals public to your friends and family. It might be a bit embarrassing to announce your specific resolution to the world, but social support is critical. Yes, it takes some personal courage and vulnerability to share something that you might actually fail at, but to dramatically increase your odds of success you’ll want support from those around you.
5. Put it on your schedule.How often do you hear people say they can’t “find the time” to do something. Nobody finds time. We all choose to spend our time the way we do—whether that’s eating junk food or going to a spin class. Make your new goals a priority and actually schedule them into your calendar. If you have fitness goal schedule time for your workouts. If you want to de-clutter, schedule time to clean out your closet on your calendar. If you want to save money, put in a weekly budget review onto your Sunday afternoons. Think of these time blocks as important appointments—just like an appointment with a doctor. Don’t automatically schedule something else over them. That which is scheduled gets done.
6. Stop “all or nothing” thinking; it’s better to do something than nothing. Most of us are guilty of the “all or nothing” thinking? Do you ever think, “Well, I might as well get dessert since I already ate those French fries?” And then, “I blew my diet last night so I’ll just restart it next week.” The difference between doing something rather than nothing is huge. If you don’t have a full hour to workout at the gym, just decide to make it the best 20-minutes you can. If you have a slight cold or minor injury, decide to just walk the track for a couple miles. If you have a financial emergency and can’t save your full 10% this month, just save what you can. The bottom line is, any effort towards your goal is better than no effort.
7. Get up, when you slip up.None of us are perfect. As the great Vince Lombardi said, “It isn’t whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get back up.” Resiliency is the key. Don’t turn relapses or temporary failures into total meltdowns or excuses for giving up. Instead, just acknowledge the mistake and recommit to the path.

No matter what it is, just keep persevering and next new year, you’ll be able to look back proudly on this year.