We’ve reached that time again; the fun and festivities are over and everybody’s looking to the New Year. The trials and tribulations of the past year are shed and intentions are renewed for the brighter better year ahead. Whether it be slimming down, quitting smoking or even clearing the clutter in the spare room, New Years is the time for new starts…and at the risk of sounding cheesy, a new you!
Why is it important to make New Year resolutions?
Making resolutions, as temporary as they may seem, is an important process. The end of the year forces us to look retrospectively at the past 12 months and decipher what we enjoyed and where we might need to make a few little adjustments. Through this self-reflection, you are able to find key areas that you may need to improve in order to be the most productive you!
So how many of us actually stick to our New Year resolutions?
A study by Richard Wiseman from the University of Bristol showed that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions end up failing. Out of all the people who make a resolution, only 8% will actually accomplish them. So why are they so difficult to keep?
Focus on the Positive!
The problems with most new-year’s resolutions now, is that we tend to accentuate the negative rather than focusing on the positive. No one ever says ‘I’m going to get healthy” the focus almost always lies on shedding the weight. If phrased differently and made more positive, resolutions may be a lot easier to keep and stick to.
5 Tips for Making Your Resolutions Stick
If you’ve set your news years resolutions, but you’re not sure how to make them last, worry not! We’ve got some helpful tips and tricks for making them stick.
- Start small – Don’t set unrealistic goals, make resolutions that you can keep. That makes them more achievable and much more positive
- Create SMART goals – Use the SMART acronym when you are setting goals: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-specific. If your goal is to lose weight, create small monthly manageable weight goals, like 2lbs a month.
- Track your progress – Self- monitoring is an important concept in keeping your resolutions. You can look back and see the progress you have made and the changes you have noticed.
- Reward small achievements – it is so important to recognize the small accomplishments you’ve made. Do something nice and treat yourself!
- Last but not least, you’re human – it’s ok to slip up. Just make sure you get back on track and renew your intention
