So, the New Year has begun. Resolutions have been made–really impressive lists and goals for making ourselves better in some way, whether it be through our health, our careers/education, or just forming some good habits. It can be hard to implement all these resolutions, so here are a few tips to actually sticking them out.
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Don’t stress about them. Seriously, New Year’s resolutions can–and do–cause a lot of unneeded stress and anxiety, which often hinders the person who set those goals from achieving them. I know telling you to not stress about something doesn’t magically eliminate stress, so try to approach them a new way. Consider the stakes: what is going to happen if I don’t do this thing? What is going to happen if I start this thing, and make progress, but don’t finish? Break things down into smaller units really helps.
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Don’t try to do them all at once. I cannot stress this enough. No one is capable of waking up January 1st and making six new life goals happen all at once. My resolutions usually center around exercising more, praying more, trying new foods, eliminating some foods from my diet, reading certain things for certain reasons, purging my closet, and being more creative. Like everyone else, I can’t resist the urge to expect to get it in gear overnight and expect results right away. I have to slow myself down and try to get the habits started one at a time, which takes weeks!
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Set timelines. Choose a resolution to start with, and take 3-6 weeks to get in the habit of doing it. Want to exercise more? Want to start journaling? Set an alarm, mark it on your calendar, but make it a priority to do it for a few weeks so that it becomes an automatic part of your day/week. Once you’re in the habit with one of your resolutions, add another. You won’t get in the habit right away, it will take work, but eventually, you will see results.