How to Make and Keep New Year’s Resolutions
For many of us, the new year represents a clean slate, fresh start, and an opportunity for a new beginning. A great way to embrace this new beginning is to set new intentions and goals for the year to come.
Setting New Year’s resolutions allows people to become more optimistic about the future. However, if we fall short of these resolutions, what was meant to be positive and motivating can become negative and discouraging. In order to obtain the benefits of our resolutions, it’s important to set ourselves up for success. Below are 8 tips to help you make and stick to your New Year’s resolutions.
Reflect and prioritize
Spend time thinking about the different areas of your life and if there are things you want to improve within them. Here is an example of an exercise you can do that can aid in this reflection process.
Be picky
Setting too many resolutions at once makes it difficult to hold ourselves accountable. Consider choosing one or two goals to give yourself the best chance of achieving them. Try to avoid choosing a resolution you’ve chosen but didn’t accomplish in the past. This can set you up to encounter similar challenges as previous years.
Set clear goals
Instead of your goal being “go to the gym more” consider something more specific such as “go to the gym 3 days a week”. This allows your goal to be easily understood and measured.
Don’t over commit
Setting too many or too extreme goals can set you up for failure. If your goal is to go to the gym 6 times a week and you go 4 times it’s easy to feel discouraged. However, if your goal is to go to the gym 3 times a week and you go 4 times you’ll likely feel more accomplished and motivated.
Make a plan
Think through how you want to accomplish your resolutions. Spend time outlining each step and action needed in order to reach these goals. The more specific you can be the better!
Identify an accountability partner
Share your resolutions with a friend, family member or partner that can help hold you accountable and keep you motivated. We’re more successful when we have a solid support system reminding us why we chose these goals in the first place.
Learn and modify
As you encounter challenges along the way, it’s easy to become discouraged. It’s important to remember that the path to success is not a straight line and frequently comes with setbacks. Identifying a setback as a failure is one of the main reasons people give up on achieving their resolutions. Instead, using these challenges as a learning opportunity can help you remain motivated.
Give yourself time
Remember, progress doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and repetition to form a habit which will require discipline. Be patient with yourself as you continue making progress towards your goals, setbacks and all.
The tips above are a great way to help you make and stick to your New Year’s resolutions. If you’d like to take it a step further, consider meeting with a therapist to help you set and achieve your goals. Therapists make great accountability partners and going to therapy is an awesome New Year’s resolution! Click the button below to reach out to one of our therapists today!
Sydney Gideon, LCSW
The tips above are a great way to help you make and stick to your New Year’s resolutions. If you’d like to take it a step further, consider meeting with a therapist to help you set and achieve your goals. Therapists make great accountability partners and going to therapy is an awesome New Year’s resolution! Click the button below to reach out to one of our therapists today!
Sydney Gideon, LCSW
About the Author
Sydney Gideon, LCSW is a clinical social worker specializing in trauma & PTSD, anxiety, depression, and adjustment disorder. She incorporates EMDR, CBT, and Trauma-Informed Therapy into her treatment. Read more about Sydney here.