How to Keep New Year Resolutions when the Initial Enthusiasm Declines

When the initial enthusiasm about New Year resolutions declines, the importance of proper planning becomes more evident. These are important points to apply, in order to keep any resolution, especially one about living a more holistic life:

- balancing quantitative and qualitative goals
- have a daily, friendly reminder of one's goal
- setting milestones along the way
- sharing goals with other people, ideally 8 or so
- decide rewards, and a plan B for sporadic deviation from original goal
- have a daily, friendly reminder of one's goal

These advices may be applied regardless of the method, or lack of it, previously used in planning for the New Year resolution. One can act only here and now, past and future are out of reach, so he/she can make the best only out of the present.

1) Balancing quantitative and qualitative goals
Success starts with proper planning. When set our New Year resolutions, it is necessary to have an overall vision, which supports specific goal(s). Example: Anna's resolution is to eat healthy, so she defines what she means with healthy. Otherwise, it is not easy to tell if she is respecting her decision. At the same time, even if she decides that eating healthy for her means eating organic at least three times per week, but then once per week she eats low-quality food, than she achieved the specific measurable goal, but not the overall vision.

John's New Year resolution may be living in a more holistically way. It can be articulated in specific goal(s):

Aware (Being): when he feels emotional about a topic, he dedicates at least five seconds to breathing, becoming aware of his feelings and also trying to understand others'
Meditating: he meditates for 20 minutes each night before going to sleep
Active (Being): he walks at least 30 minutes, at least 3 times per week
Respectful (Being): stop using some words he identified as inappropriate, and he visits a senior relative at least twice per month
Eating (properly): he eats organic at least 3 days per week, and limit unhealthy food (to no more than two meals per month)

Shouldn't John focus on one goal per time? It is all about having coherent and mutually supporting goals. If he would like to become a skating champion, earn a PhD in Physics and start a restaurant, then he has to make a clear choice and focus only on one goal. But if he is taking mutually reinforcing commitments or at least realistically compatible (ex.: eating healthy, taking a class on Raw Foods, supporting local farmers, having at least two lunch meals per week with a friend instead of rushing in and out from work, etc.), then this holistic approach to New Year improvements is a winning approach.

2) Have a daily, friendly reminder of your goal
There are sites (likehttp://www.amareway.org/ ) offering daily inspirational quotes and pictures. While one is still in charge of the success of her/his resolution, these kind of sites are helpful in supporting and reminding, in a friendly manner, about her/his vision and goals

3) Setting milestones along the way
Some goals are better if implemented all the way at once. For example, if Jennifer wants to meditate for 20 minutes before going to sleep, it is better if she starts right now and sticks to it every night. Other goals are more feasible when divided in smaller steps, because they are more a marathon than a sprint.

4) Sharing goals with other people, ideally 8 or so
One should share resolutions with 8 people, roughly divided as 3 family members, 3 close friends, 2 people with whom he/she feels a good chemistry but sees only a few times per week, like at the gym etc. Usually, the more public one is about a commitment, the more determined he/she is in keeping it because, even if there are temptations to take a holiday from goals, one cares about what these 8 people think about him/her and so will go the extra mile (literally, if the commitment is to run regularly) to live up to the commitment. Even better if some of these 8 people are willing to share their own resolution, or if they have some experience dealing with a similar situation themselves. At the end, the most important part if that they care about the person taking the resolution, and they will be there to support him/her.

5) Decide rewards and a plan B for sporadic deviation from original goal
Mark successfully kept his resolution. He should celebrate it! And try to do it with one of the people who supported him; if they are far, he can always have them on Webcam while he enjoys his reward, if possible. He can keep bigger rewards, for the end of the year, and start with some smaller rewards for the first months.

There are times when Mark may really have to make an exception. Still, he keeps it to a minimum, and has a way to compensate for this: if he really cannot meditate this night, he'll do it for twice the as long in the morning, and then restart regular practice. It is important to have a way to allow for small exception, as long as it costs some reparation. These deviations must be kept to a minimum, and they don't mean he should give up to non-positive peer-pressure. If Mark's resolution involves intoxicating substances, there should be no exception to his resolution: if he wants to quit drinking, and already achieved the time of the year when his drinking allowance should be 0, he sticks to it. So he ensures to keep the habit away. People who care for him will understand if he has to celebrate an event without spirits.