Tips for Setting and Keeping New Years Resolutions

On New Year's Eve, as the clock strikes 12:00, millions of people around the world will be resolving to change something in their lives, in the coming year. Yet, many of those same people will have lost the resolve to make that change, even before the first month of the New Year has passed. Why does this happen, and how can you prevent it from happening to you?

A Resolution That Matters

A New Year's resolution is something many people feel obligated to make. In reality, if the changes you say you will make on New Year's Day are not changes that you really want to make, deep down, then the chances that you will follow through are not high. The first step toward keeping a healthy New Year's resolution, then, is to start by making one that really matters to you.

A Resolution that is Possible to Keep

Another problem with New Year's resolutions is that many people set unrealistic goals for themselves. Examples of these kinds of resolutions could be "I will drop down to a size 5, by this time next year" or "I will not eat sweets in the coming year." When you set goals that are unrealistic, you have already set yourself up for failure. Instead of setting goals that would require an almost impossible amount of effort on your part, try setting smaller, more reasonable goals for yourself. Examples might be "I will try to lose 12 pounds (or one pound a month) by next New Year's Eve" or "I will eat fewer sweets in the coming year."

Setting Simple Goals

Keeping your New Year's resolution can be successfully achieved by taking small steps, rather than large ones. Think of your resolution in terms of long and short term goals. If your long term goal is to lose 12 pounds in the coming year, short term goals should be daily steps you can take to reach your goal. Daily goals can vary. "On Monday I will exercise 15 minutes after work, on Tuesday I will skip my daily stop at the bakery, on Wednesday I will walk home from the office." The important thing is that you do just one thing each day to help you reach your goal. Allowing yourself a choice in what you want to do each day, is another way to help keep you on track.

Applauding Your Successes

Be sure to praise yourself each time you take a step toward reaching your goal. As you begin to see the results of your efforts, take the time to think about, and reflect upon the changes you have made. As you begin to enjoy the sense of pride and accomplishment your efforts have brought you, you will feel even more motivated to stick with your plan, and continue to follow through with your New Year's resolution.