Whether you have it written somewhere in your phone’s notes app, your journal, on a post-it paper, or even in your head– we all have created a new year’s resolution, and yes even unconsciously. Personally, in the previous year, I’ve only managed to cross out a few of my resolutions, one of which is to focus more into my yoga practice. Glad I was able to do a few but still a bit disappointed I couldn’t accomplish all of it.
This also made me wonder, why is it so hard for me to keep a resolution? Was I not very committed? Or things were just not meant to go how I planned it? Either way, I’m sure some of you readers are also in the same boat as I am! Let’s go through the possibilities of why it’s a struggle to keep our NY resolutions or why it’s tough to make it happen..
So How Can I Stick To My Goals This Year?
1. The Goal is Too Big or Too Vague
Creating a resolution that is specific and measurable can be more achievable, rather than going big. Take for example, if losing weight is your goal for the new year, be more specific about it. Say, “I would like to lose at least 5KG in two months” and watch it happen because you have a timeframe. However, there’s nothing wrong with going all out on your resolutions. You know what you are capable of, but still best to be specific with it so you can score!
2. Be As Realistic As Possible With Your Resolutions
Being realistic is crucial advice for success when choosing a resolve. Set a goal and choose a behavioral change that you can picture yourself implementing. In the long term, a realistic perspective will help you by allowing you to establish objectives that you can actually attain. If you make an unreasonable resolve, you are more likely to be disappointed.
A frequent New Year’s resolve, for example, is to be better at saving money. You could want to save $10,000 by the end of the year, and that’s a fine goal to have, but make sure your regular saving goal is in line with your salary.
3. Begin Your Journey With Small Steps
Taking on something too soon is a major cause of New Year’s resolution failure. Starting an extremely restricted diet, going overboard at the gym, or drastically changing your usual attitude are all guaranteed ways to sabotage your ambitions. Instead, concentrate on making small efforts that will eventually help you achieve your greater goal.
Take for an example if you’re shy to head to the gym, you can still opt to work out at home! There are plenty of ways how to, read more about it here.
4. Committing To Your Resolutions
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail,” is one of my favourite sayings. Take time to absorb it. If your strategy isn’t a plan at all, you’re almost certain to fail. The first step toward success and achievement is to make a plan. Another advantage of making a plan is that you will feel a sense of accomplishment every time you check a box or finish a task. As you approach closer, your satisfaction will grow until you eventually reach your objective.
A strategy for sticking to your commitment might include numbered stages, a checklist, a count of daily chores, a list of habits, or any other gradual approach to your resolution. Or by simply having a resolution journal to keep track of your goals.
5. Reward Yourself
Motivate yourself by giving yourself a prize if you stick to your resolution. Like having a cheat day during your diet or even buying new clothes after accomplishing your savings goals. A pleasurable reward will encourage you to correlate happy emotions with the acts that will assist you in sticking to your goals.
6. Try Again If At First You Don’t Succeed
When we strive to alter a little about ourselves or our behavior, we will encounter certain roadblocks. It’s possible that we’ll fail, screw up, or make a mistake along the road, and that’s fine. Anticipating that we will not be flawless might help us relieve stress. Recognize that it’s okay to make mistakes as long as you keep trying. Don’t abandon your goal after a few failures.
Something to Keep in Mind..
The yearly practice of making resolutions doesn’t have to be an annual disappointment! Sometimes the difference between success and failure is as simple as selecting the correct objective and the technique for accomplishing it. Most importantly, remember to be gentle and forgiving with yourself, and to rejoice in any and all progress made along the path. It is not just the final objective that is important, but also the route to get there.