2016 is finally here and we all know what that means. New year, new us right? Practically all of us have been in this exact position before. For some reason it seems New Years resolutions tend to be the hardest goals to reach. It always starts out exactly the same way: we make the resolutions, stick to them for maybe a month or two at most, and then we make some excuse as to why we should give up on our resolutions. Here are a few tried and true tips to keep you on track and complete your New Years resolutions once and for all.
1. Set reasonable goals.
I know this should go without saying, but make your resolutions something you can actually achieve. Keep them simple. For example, don’t make your New Years resolution something like “I want to be famous by the end of the year.” While goals like these aren’t totally unattainable and shouldn’t be given up on, they should not be made into resolutions. Resolutions such as these tend to end up making the person feel discouraged when they aren’t achieved in the time they hoped for. Simplicity is key here.
2. Break your resolution(s) into smaller parts, if possible.
Breaking your resolutions into smaller ones is a HUGE help. One of the most set (and typically unachieved) resolutions is anything that has to do with working out or losing weight. Why? Because people tend to think of these goals as being bigger than they really are. With these goals the best way to look at them is to make almost a timeline of achieving your goal. Saying “I want to lose 3 pounds a month” or “I want to go to the gym at least twice a week” are way easier to reach than setting an overall end of year goal. Same goes for goals of saving money or doing better in school. Setting the smaller goals helps you to see them as something less intimidating than the overall goal.
3. Come up with ways to keep yourself motivated. (aka TREAT YO SELF)
Remember when you were younger and your parents would give you an allowance for doing chores? That was motivation at its finest. The same technique is extremely helpful for achieving your New Years resolutions. This works best for goals that follow tip number 2. If you set a small “prize” for yourself at the end of each step of your path to reach your goal you’ll be more likely to achieve it within the amount of time you wanted. That being said, don’t make it something that fully contradicts whatever you’re trying to achieve. If your goal is to save money don’t make your metaphorical carrot-on-a-string a shopping trip. Some ideas for good motivational treats are going to see a movie you like, having a DIY spa day, buying something small such as a book you’ve been eyeing, or go on a relaxing day trip to the beach.
4. Don’t make excuses.
The biggest downfall for every New Years resolution is making excuses to not complete your goal. When it comes to completing a set goal there is truly no such thing as being too busy. If you really want something bad enough you will make time for it. No matter what your goal is the only thing standing in your way of reaching it is yourself.
Good luck and Happy New Year!