It is officially 2016 and the perfect time to look back on the past year and look forward to a new one. I rarely make New Year's resolutions, but when I do I fail miserably at keeping them. In fact, statistics shows that while half of all adults make resolutions, barely 10 percent keep them within the first few months of the year. And yet, they are worth setting. People who make resolutions are ten times more likely to meet their life goals. When considering my own goals for 2016, I decided to composite a list of ways to set and (maybe even keep!!) my resolutions this year.
1. Have someone help you.
Telling someone that you trust about your resolution can help make the process easier because you will have more support. Whatever your goal is (losing weight, quitting smoking, making more money are the most common) if the people around you are on board they can not only be aware of things you should avoid but help motivate you to stick to your word.
2. Accept setbacks.
In making any big life change, there will be minor failures along the way. It doesn’t mean your resolution is void or impossible to reach that point; it is just another part of the process of reaching that goal. It’s important not to dwell on those setbacks and to keep moving forward instead.
3. Be realistic.
One of (if not the main) reason resolutions fail is because they’re simply not realistic. I know the feeling day to day of putting off mounds of work and responsibilities for “tomorrow,” and when tomorrow comes I have no will to do any of it. New Year’s resolutions can feel like this, especially when they are consequential. Know what you want and also what you are realistically capable of, that way you won’t be so hard on yourself when an overambitious goal is never reached.
4. Set positive goals.
Business Insider suggests setting positive goals because our usual goals involve “emotional friction” or changing negative things about ourselves. Change is important, but setting goals that involve focusing on things that make you happy, such as a hobby, will be more likely to be met.
5. Focus on one thing.
The Independent proposes sticking to one goal instead of making several that you are less likely to follow. The article writes, “If you want to be fitter and healthier, do just one thing at a time. Give up drinking. Give up smoking. Join a gym. Eat more healthily. But don’t do them all at once, just choose one and do your best to stick to it.” Once you tackle one thing, it is easier to move onto another.
