10 Helpful Tips to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick
With a new year just around the corner, you may be starting to think about resolutions and what you want to achieve in 2022. A new year is often seen as a fresh start, and a chance to make big changes. Maybe you want to lose 50 pounds, stop smoking or get in the best shape of your life. While a select few do follow through on their new year’s resolutions, statistics show that a large majority have abandoned them by February.
Why is that?
Change is hard. It takes dedication, time and consistency to either develop a new habit or ditch an old one. Set yourself up for success by following these foolproof tips to make your “resolutions” stick and be something that you will actually achieve!
Set goals, not resolutions! A new year is a fresh start, so the concept of setting resolutions makes sense. However, by definition, a resolution is a firm decision to do or not to do something. Unlike goals, there is no direction, and they become more like wishes or dreams with no plan of action. Most resolutions are along the lines of “join a gym” or “eat healthier.” While you may get off to a great start, your progress fizzles and you are back in your old habits. So, instead of setting resolutions, make January the time you set specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely (SMART) goals!
Figure out WHAT you want to do and be specific. Do you want to eat healthier? How are you going to do this? Are you going to meal prep on Sundays, start having green smoothies daily, eat out no more than 2x per month, bring a lunch everyday, or eat at least 30 different plants per week? Break it down into small, specific and attainable goals that are easy to track.
Determine your WHY. Analyze your motivation and the meaning your goal holds. What is it that is motivating you to make this change? How high is your motivation? Is it intrinsic or extrinsic? Intrinsic motivation comes from within, whether it be to feel good about yourself, learn something, set a personal best or improve your health. There is nothing wrong with extrinsic motivation, such as financial gain or to impress someone, but often it is not enough. When it comes to health and wellness goals, you are more likely to follow through when you are intrinsically motivated. If you can’t determine why, your motivation is low, or if it is not meaningful or for the right reasons, stop here and pick a new goal.
Figure out exactly WHEN you will start (put it in your calendar), and what planning is required in advance. For example, if you are going to start growing your own sprouts, making a smoothie every day, or doing a particular workout routine, you will need to ensure you have a plan to obtain the necessary supplies/equipment in advance. Seeing the dates on a calendar can help hold you accountable while also letting you look back and see your success too.
HOW will you do it? Be specific. For example, if you are going to incorporate walking into your daily routine, determine how often you will go, what time of day, for how long and with who. It is great to say you will walk for an hour every day, but if you work full-time and have young kids, this may not be realistic. Be specific about where and how you will fit it in.
Write your goals down and keep them handy. Putting pen to paper can help to solidify your goals, and seeing them regularly can serve as a reminder and motivation to continue to work towards them. If it helps, put them on your fridge so you are reminded of them daily.
Share your goals. Letting friends or family know what you are working towards can help with accountability. It can also be helpful to find someone to work towards a particular goal with you. Putting your goals on your fridge can also be an easy way of having your family hold you accountable.
Review and/or progress your goals regularly. Plan to revisit your goals periodically (every week or month, for example) to evaluate your progress and if necessary, modify or progress your goals. For example, if you set an initial goal to jog twice a week for 30 minutes and have been consistent with this for a month, you might consider challenging yourself by adding another day, or progressing to 40 minutes. As mentioned previously, goals are easiest to achieve when you start small. Even if you want to jog for six days per week, starting with two is more realistic, and is a starting point to gradually work towards six.
Be consistent and patient. Research shows that it takes at least 60 days to form a habit, and some of the bad habits you may be trying to break likely took years (or even decades!) to develop. Remember that change is a process and takes time, consistency and patience! Without conscious effort, planning, motivation and patience, it is challenging to develop a new habit. It could be weeks or months before you start to perform the behaviour automatically, without so much as a second thought. In the beginning it is likely that you will miss days and experience roadblocks. You may also want to quit. Understand that this is normal, and just because you miss a day or two does not mean you need to give up. It is not a race. Be consistent, have patience for yourself, and remember your WHY!
Celebrate your successes! When you set your goal(s), determine how you will celebrate or reward yourself, and ensure you follow through when your goal becomes a habit! Share your success with friends or family and reward yourself with a special experience, item, meal or activity.
How will you know when your goal has become a habit?
You do it naturally without thinking about it.
You don't dread or worry about doing it.
You don't need to convince yourself to do it.
You are intrinsically motivated to do it.
It feels more normal to do it than to not.
You are staying on track and not missing days or making excuses.
You find benefit and enjoyment in doing it.
Need Help?
Setting and reaching your health and wellness goals requires knowledge of what to do, which is not always clear. In many cases, it also requires guidance, support and accountability to get there. Working with an Occupational Therapist or Holistic Nutritionist can help you to take the guesswork out of what to do, and to reach your goals in a way that is straightforward and fits with your lifestyle. Book a free 15-minute consultation to learn more!
