We make New Year’s resolutions to improve our lives, but sometimes the process of setting and accomplishing our goals can be a challenge. Although millions of people make New Year’s resolutions, only 40 to 46 percent are likely to succeed at six months. Fortunately, you are more likely to succeed with your New Year’s resolutions if you have made proper plans. So, whether your New Year’s resolution is improving your diet, saving money, or volunteering more, there is a way to keep your resolutions.
Here are five Mindful ways to ensure that you succeed your New Year’s resolutions:
To stay committed to your resolutions it’s important to understand why these goals fail. Being overzealous and setting unrealistic goals discourages people early on. So, instead stick to one resolution that you feel motivated to accomplish. Unclear goals are another reason why many resolutions are abandoned. Vague resolutions that aren’t specific enough make it harder to stay committed. So make sure that your resolution is very detailed and well planned.
- Make it easier. To your New Year’s resolution it’s important to start small. Take small steps in the beginning and work yourself up to bigger tasks. This will make your resolution easier to accomplish and help reduce your stress. Create an accountability system with a friend or coworker in order to stay on schedule. Lastly, having sources of motivation and inspiration can help you succeed in your goals. So, consider keeping inspirational quotes or motivational pictures on hand.
- Change bad habits. Many of us have bad habits that can hinder us as we try to accomplish our New Year’s resolution. For instance, emotional eating can make losing weight a challenge and shopping addictions will make saving money difficult. So it’s important to bust bad habits in order to succeed. You can do this be forming healthy habits like snacking on nuts or shopping with cash only and leaving your credit cards at home.
- Have tech support. If you can’t rely on someone else to help with your New Year’s resolution consider a tech solution. There are smartphone and tablet apps that you can download to help you with resolutions such as quitting addictions, saving money, and loosing weight. They will help you chart your progress, set useful reminders, and offer more tips that you may find useful.
- Reward yourself. Don’t be hard on yourself if you have trouble sticking to your schedule or resolution plan. Little rewards, whether it’s a bowl of ice cream for dessert or a day of rest from the gym can help keep you motivated about your New Year’s resolution. Figure out a reward system that works best for you. But beware! Frequent rewards as this may reduce the novelty and specialness of your treat.