5 Great Tips to Make Your New Year’s Resolution Last All Year
It’s that time of year again. As one year ends, another begins and we can all find ways to improve in 2014.
The New Year gives us an opportunity to better ourselves and strive to reach our full potential. Last year at this time, I had many goals for 2013. What I learnt along the way was that setting realistic goals, no matter what they are, is important for any effective long-term change.
Here are 5 great tips to make your New Year’s resolutions last an entire year (not just the first week of January!).
- Be realistic! Choose a resolution that you will likely be able to stick to throughout the year. Focus on small improvements instead of large changes to your lifestyle. Large changes can be too difficult to maintain. For example, do not give up sweets completely, if you have a big sweet tooth. Instead, a New Year’s resolution could be that you will only eat sweets one day a week.
- Be flexible. It is impossible to be perfect all the time. Be aware that you will have better weeks than others. If you find the resolution you came up with is too strict, find a way to lessen it without giving up. If you were trying to work out 4 days a week but find it’s too much, consider starting with 2-3 days a week.
- Check-in. By mid-March, see where you are at. If you have fallen off the wagon already, consider adjusting your goal to something that you can maintain long-term.
- Enlist a friend. Find someone with a similar New Year’s resolution to join forces with. If you plan on joining a gym, sign up with a friend or family member, so you have a buddy to go with.
- Add instead of subtract. Giving up a food is harder than adding one. Instead of deciding to cut out a certain type of food from your diet, try adding a healthy one instead. For example, your goal for 2014 could be to eat 3 servings of fruits and veggies each day.
