As soon as Christmas is in our rear-view mirrors, we start planning and daydreaming about the upcoming year. For most people, New Year’s Day is like the first day of registration, but now you are deciding on future goals instead of classes. However, these resolutions often fizzle out as early as February 1 because of a lack of time, energy, or prolonged interest. We start the year with good intentions, but, as always, life inevitably gets in the way.
Below are some recommendations for making and keeping your resolutions a success:
1. Avoid overreaching.
Even though you are probably full of adrenaline with so many holidays back-to-back, try to reasonably decide on this year’s goals. Pushing yourself too hard and beyond your current limits will only set you up for frustration. Instead of thinking that you are limiting yourself, consider that you are actually just pacing yourself. You want to exercise more this year? Great, but don’t try to run a marathon your first week of training. You plan to spend more time with the family? Even better, but recognize that you have to find a happy balance between work and play. Just remember that even the greatest athletes still have to stretch before every race, and no expert perfected his or her craft during the first month or even year.
2. Limit the time span.
The most dedicated people usually have deadlines for when they are supposed to complete their goals, but a lot can happen in 365 days. A year is also a daunting amount of time for many people. Consider limiting your target date to just a month or semester after you start pursuing your resolutions. Many goals would actually work better in one of these time slots. For instance, improving your grades would be a great resolution to measure over an entire semester. You might also like to choose 12 total resolutions and dedicate one to each month. This way, the resolutions are not as overwhelming and resemble more of a yearlong scavenger hunt. If you want to limit the time even more, decide on relevant resolutions that you can accomplish on New Year’s Day itself.
3. Don’t overthink it.
Some goals might require greater expenses than others, but the simpler ones can usually be accomplished with the resources you already have. For example, you might think that the cold weather means you cannot exercise outdoors, which could then encourage you to spend excess money on equipment or memberships you don’t really have time to use. Take advantage of the fact that the weather is no longer in the record highs! Bundle up and take a stroll around your school, office, or community. Not only will the cool air invigorate you, but walking is also one of the best forms of exercise. Similarly, if you are thinking about ways to eat healthier this year, postpone your trip to the fancy, expensive grocery stores and look in your own kitchen. There are multiple ways to make your favorite foods healthier by just substituting ingredients. Have you ever heard of detox cookies? They are a real thing! Instead of trying to make an everyday meal a healthy and gourmet project, start by experimenting with recipes you already know and love.
4. Learn something new.
This is a new year, after all! There are so many different ways to learn a new skill, subject or language. Even if you are taking other classes for your degree, consider taking another one that might personally interest you or have practical value. Whether the class teaches you how to analyze Shakespeare or network with social media, it can still provide valuable experience. If you rather learn something new outside of the classroom, there are thousands of tutorials online for almost every subject, some of which don’t even require a subscription fee. Additionally, many stores sell kits for almost any hobby imaginable, including crafts like origami and Chinese brush painting. Just look for what is available and interests you.
5. Use the buddy system.
One of the best ways to stay on track with your resolutions is to get a friend to monitor your progress. A friend can act as your personal trainer, teacher, and support system all-in-one. Invite a friend on your morning jog or lunchtime stroll and bond in a healthy, productive way. Consider taking a creative class and improve your cooking or pottery skills together. Also, a little friendly competition can be a great motivator to not only stay on track this year but also go beyond your own expectations.
6. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Making the decision to stick to a resolution should be congratulated, not challenged. It shows perseverance and the desire to ether improve your lifestyle or expand your horizons. Allow occasional mistakes and slips during your journey to achievement. Most importantly, have fun! If you do not enjoy or at least appreciate the challenges, you will not want to keep your resolutions. This year, let’s resolve to try our best and watch the accomplishments that follow.
