As we ring in the New Year, it’s time to reflect on 2012 and think of what you want to accomplish for 2013. The problem is that most of us make resolutions that we end up keeping for only a few weeks. This year, I would suggest you take a different approach.
Tips to Make Your Resolutions Stick
1. First, think about what is really important to you. It doesn’t have to be the usual weight loss/fitness goals. Once you’ve come up with your goal, you’ll then need to break it down so you can really accomplish it.
2. Set specific goals. The more concrete they are, the greater your chances are of meeting them. For example, don’t say “I want to get fit”. Make a plan as to how you are going to do it.
3. Break your long term goals into smaller more manageable goals. Rather than saying “I want to lose 30 pounds”, start with a weekly or monthy weight loss goal. I would recommend a 1-2 pound weight loss a week for most people.
4. Put your plan in writing. I’m fan of writing it on a calendar. I have a large calendar hanging on my wall and write in my weekly goals and check off whether I met them or not.
5. De-clutter your environment. Even if you aren’t moving like I did, it can be a great feeling to purge your enviroment of things you don’t need (and this includes your “fat clothes” as well as skiis from the 1980’s!) I think a less cluttered environment can help you focus more on what is really important to you.
6. Set the plan in action by doing something – now! Make the phone call. Sign up for a computer class, join your local gym, update your resume, etc. Once you take an action, versus just thinking about it, your chances of meeting that goal are greatly increased.
7. Buddy up. Enlist the help of your spouse, significant other, family or friend. The more support you get, the greater your chances of meeting your goals will be. (pic credit: allaboutyou.com)
8. If you decide to make the same resolution (i.e. weight loss) that you’ve made in previous years, analyze what went wrong in the past. Obviously something went wrong otherwise you wouldn’t be setting the same resolution! We need to learn from our mistakes in the past and try a different technique.
What is your New Year’s Resolution?
