How to keep your New Year's resolution this year

The beginning of every year comes with a renewed sense of hope and optimism. A feeling of a fresh start which leads most people to come up with new goals and objectives commonly referred to as “New Year Resolutions”. Unfortunately, most people either give up or fail to keep these resolutions and push them to the following year, rinse and repeat.

However, it is very possible to make New Year resolutions and actually go through with them. Here are a few ideas to help you make and keep your New Year resolutions.

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Make resolutions you actually believe you can keep

New Year resolutions should not be an avenue for wishful thinking. Although there is nothing wrong with dreaming big, it is very important that you make resolutions that are feasible. This is the first step towards being successful with your resolutions.

The more realistic your resolutions are the less daunting they seem, thereby making it less likely for you to get overwhelmed by it during the year no matter the circumstances.

Have a well thought out plan

No matter how realistic or simple your resolutions are, you run the risk of not accomplishing them if it is not backed by proper planning. How do you intend to perform this action? What are the things you might need? How long will it take? Will it require some form of training? You must have answers to these questions and many more if you intend to go through with your resolutions.

For instance, if your goal for the New Year is to lose weight, you need to consider which weight loss routine you are going to follow, how much weight you want to lose, how to get rid of distractions, among others. Having a well thought out plan will not only increase your chance of succeeding, it will also keep your mind engaged and focused on the task at hand.

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Start small

Taking up too much too soon is a major reason many people fail to keep their resolutions. Break your resolution down, start small and work your way up. A drastic change in your regular routine is unsustainable and will likely derail your plans. It is better to introduce your New Year resolutions into your routine in small incremental changes, as this will increase the chances of you actually sticking to it.

Renew your drive

At the beginning of the year, your level of motivation to keep your resolution will definitely be very high making it easier to get going. As the year progresses and you start to face obstacles, it becomes very easy to lose motivation and succumb to the difficult challenges confronting you.

It is very necessary during such times to remind yourself why you made these resolutions in the first place, and why it is absolutely necessary that you keep them. Constantly renewing your drive is a must if you intend to be successful with your New Year resolution.

Learn from the past

You have probably made New Year resolutions before, and chances are you failed to keep them. Learn from these failures and try not to repeat the mistakes you made. Try to be conscious of previous habits that made you unsuccessful in the past, and remain vigilant about not falling into such patterns this time around.

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Prepare your mind for setbacks

Regardless of your dedication and commitment, there’s always the possibility of the occasional setback. It is very helpful to keep your mind open about such possibilities so you don’t feel too defeated if they happen, instead you will learn and adapt so that situation doesn’t repeat itself. This will allow you to put any form of relapse behind you so you can move forward with your goals.

Tell people your resolutions

Inform your close friends or family about the targets you have set for the New Year. The people closest to you can be a great source of motivation so keep them informed about the things you plan on doing, so they can help keep you on track whenever you seem to be slipping up.

Reward yourself

Try to celebrate the little victories you achieve along the way. You don’t need to wait until the end of the year to acknowledge everything you’ve done. Pat yourself on the back every now and then when you do something you’re proud of, this will help you realise that all the effort you’ve been putting into your goals haven’t been in vain. This will give you an extra motivation to keep going, bringing you closer to your larger goal.

Setting resolutions should not just be an annual ritual that doesn’t survive the first three months of the year, with proper planning and the right attitude it is very possible to go through the twelve months of the year sticking to the resolutions you made the beginning of the year.

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