How to Stick to Your New Year's Resolutions
We aren't unaware of the fact that A LOT of you are currently participating in "Dry January". Good for you--seriously, we support it! We also know January is the month for cleanses, new diets, new exercise habits, and an overall desire to treat yourself right. If you're like most of us, you drank too much throughout the holidays (you were drunk a lot), you ate everything in sight (hello frosted cookie trees), and you totally rode that wave until you couldn't take it anymore (or until January 1st hit). So the question remains, how do you stick to those said new years goals/resolutions? How do you convince yourself the world will be right where you left it, after your cleanse?
Read below for 5 ways to actually stick to your resolutions.
Change your mindset. Time will go on whether you stick to your resolution or not. If you are planning on cleansing for a month, imagine that end date. It will come whether you better yourself or not. And when that date comes, wouldn't you rather be a better version of yourself, than not? Understand that the time is going to come, so use the time wisely, then celebrate your accomplishments.
Hold yourself accountable. According to the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), you have a 65% chance of completing a goal if you commit to someone. This increases to 95% if you set a specific accountability appointment with the person you’ve committed to. For most of us, there's no consequence of giving up on your resolution. You simply feel bad about yourself and then forget about it and move on. Find a buddy to do a cleanse, set a weight loss goal, or attend an exercise class with. You can also ask a friend/family member to hold you accountable, checking in each week/day.
Track your progress. And be patient. It's easy to loose motivation if we don't see immediate results. Eating salad after salad after salad and still not feeling/seeing a difference? This is where tracking comes in. It can take a bit of time for your body/mind/soul to adjust to this new way of living. BE PATIENT! Create a calendar and check off each day you take a step toward your goal. You can even write what you did in each box. By the end of the month, your calendar will prove to you the progress you've made and by then, you'll most likely be seeing/feeling the results.
Take baby steps. If you currently work out once a week, it may be hard to sustain a goal of working out every day. Start with a goal that is attainable, such as going from once a week, to 3 times a week. That way your resolution won't seem so daunting, and you will still be making progress towards a healthier you. Breaking up a huge goal into smaller steps will actually stress you out less, and help you develop a new healthier habit instead of a brief fad.
Thank yourself for what you do. Don't be so hard on yourself. You are making moves to better yourself, and that's something in itself to be grateful for. Give yourself a pat on the back already! Do what you can do. Anything is better than nothing. If you've committed to meditating for 20 minutes every day but can only squeeze in 10 minutes, do it! And then thank yourself for doing it. No one is perfect, and you deserve to thank yourself for the effort you are putting in.
Hold yourself accountable. According to the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), you have a 65% chance of completing a goal if you commit to someone. This increases to 95% if you set a specific accountability appointment with the person you’ve committed to. For most of us, there's no consequence of giving up on your resolution. You simply feel bad about yourself and then forget about it and move on. Find a buddy to do a cleanse, set a weight loss goal, or attend an exercise class with. You can also ask a friend/family member to hold you accountable, checking in each week/day.
Track your progress. And be patient. It's easy to loose motivation if we don't see immediate results. Eating salad after salad after salad and still not feeling/seeing a difference? This is where tracking comes in. It can take a bit of time for your body/mind/soul to adjust to this new way of living. BE PATIENT! Create a calendar and check off each day you take a step toward your goal. You can even write what you did in each box. By the end of the month, your calendar will prove to you the progress you've made and by then, you'll most likely be seeing/feeling the results.
Take baby steps. If you currently work out once a week, it may be hard to sustain a goal of working out every day. Start with a goal that is attainable, such as going from once a week, to 3 times a week. That way your resolution won't seem so daunting, and you will still be making progress towards a healthier you. Breaking up a huge goal into smaller steps will actually stress you out less, and help you develop a new healthier habit instead of a brief fad.
Thank yourself for what you do. Don't be so hard on yourself. You are making moves to better yourself, and that's something in itself to be grateful for. Give yourself a pat on the back already! Do what you can do. Anything is better than nothing. If you've committed to meditating for 20 minutes every day but can only squeeze in 10 minutes, do it! And then thank yourself for doing it. No one is perfect, and you deserve to thank yourself for the effort you are putting in.
