A New Year’s resolution sounds like a great thing in theory, but a lot of the time when you make them you find yourself frustrated, give up, or “take a break” that never ends and your once optimistic sight for the new year vanishes. We all know it and we’ve all experienced it. However, there ARE a few ways to nip these feelings in the bud and actually accomplish your New Year’s resolution.
1. Change Your Mindset
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A big reason why a lot of New Year’s resolutions fail is that people tend to set their goals so high that they are impossible to reach. Plus, when they do not not see any major change or progress in their lives they are left feeling unmotivated to continue. The first step to having a truly successful New Year’s resolution is throwing away that mindset. Stop thinking of your resolution as a quota and start thinking of it as a lifestyle change.
2. Plan
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Set a day to go out and get everything you need to be successful in your resolution. If your resolution is to start going to the gym, go out and sign up for a membership. If your goal to start journaling every day, go to the store and buy a journal that you love and some pens in your favorite color to go with it. If your plan is to not miss class anymore, set your alarms for the time you need to leave to make sure you get there on time. Whatever it is, prepare yourself and set yourself up for success.
3. Give Yourself Short Term Goals
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As mentioned above, most people set high goals to achieve and that is okay. The only thing is, you can’t expect to achieve it right away. Recognize that a New Year’s resolution is a goal for the entire year. So, in order to keep yourself motivated, set short term goals that will boost your confidence and re-motivate you on your resolution.
4. Reward Yourself
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Continuing on with the idea of short term goal setting, it’s important to reward yourself. If you’re trying to lose weight and you meet your short term goal of losing five pounds, treat yourself! If you’re committing yourself to stay organized and you accomplished it for two weeks, the small mess you accumulated can wait until tomorrow. It’s okay to “cheat” in that sense because you’re motivating yourself to continue to reach your next goals.
5. Know That You Will Fail
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Most importantly, know that you will fail. You might forget for a week or lose motivation, it happens. The important part is that you get back to it, that you don’t give up. Reflect back on the optimism you started the year with and recall those emotions and achieve your goals!
New Year’s resolutions are tough and you may not succeed right away, and that’s okay. The important part is progress. No matter what your New Year’s resolution is, it is attainable. Know that above all else, you CAN do it. With these tips and a splash of your own resilience, you can achieve every goal you set this year. Just keep a positive outlook and the sky’s the limit!