Around the end of January, many of us (approximately 156 million people, according to Lifehack.org!) find ourselves admitting defeat. Whether it was wanting to lose weight, getting more sleep, or spending less time on social media, it's fairly common to end up exactly where you were at the end of December around this time.
However, it's completely alright. And just because you're finding yourself in the dumps right now doesn't mean you're doomed for the rest of the year.
Who said resolutions were on a tight schedule, anyway? For so many people, a new year HAS to be an open-and-shut "new chapter" of your life. If you fail at your New Year's resolutions, you simply tuck them away again for next year. However, why not try again, with a slightly refined resolution, for February and beyond?
Many studies have shown that the majority of New Year's resolutions fail because they're just too vague. If you want to lose weight (the most common New Year's resolution), be specific! Tell yourself "I want to lose 8 pounds" instead of saying "I want to lose weight." Another helpful tip is knowing ahead of time that your resolution may take some time. We'd all like to wake up tomorrow and be our ideal height and weight, but that simply isn't reasonable. Start small! Change a few habits at a time (maybe passing on the brownies at work occasionally, or drinking more water?) and you may not even notice. Small changes are proven to be more effective, just because they're a lot less intimidating.
An additional reason for giving up on a New Year's resolution is all about your perception of it. If going to the gym sounded like a complete bore to you all last year, a new year isn't going to magically make you start enjoying it. With some resolutions, you may need to find positive things to change the way you think it. By going to the gym with a friend, or watching your favorite show on the treadmill, you can start to associate more positive things with your resolution, and it can become increasingly more enjoyable.
Another one of the most commonly reported hindrances to going through with a New Year's resolution is also completely psychological: you know what you want, but not why. If you want to use social media less, why? Is it because you couldn't think of anything better for a resolution, or is it really because you want to improve your mental health? If you want to lose weight, is it because you want to look more like someone else, or because you want to be better for you? Thinking about why your goal is so important to you can be a huge motivator in holding yourself to your resolution.
So, forget "New Year's" resolutions. You can start a new goal, without societal pressure, whenever you feel that you're ready for a change. In with February resolutions!
