Hello, everyone! How is everyone doing? With the New Year celebrations, over, how is everyone settling into their third week of school? With the stress of classes, exams and the what not, some of us may have let our New Year’s resolutions take the backseat. Well, that backseat passenger is calling shotgun as today we are looking at five ways to keep your New Year’s resolutions alive without them feeling burdensome.

Don’t make it a criminal jail sentence

Make a resolution that you strongly believe in but do it in moderation. A resolution will seem less like a chore and more like a game when you give yourself a window for adjusting; something a lot of people don’t do which causes them to become frustrated. For example, starting a new diet plan is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions as the holidays can involve a lot of binge eating. Instead of completely cutting out sugar going ultra-low carb, gradually reduce your intake. You will be able to adjust and sustain your new choices with ease and you will be able to successfully sustain your resolution.

Set realistic goals

Making a resolution is fantastic as you have identified an aspect of yourself you would want to improve. Make realistic goals and plan on how to approach your resolution/goal. This can make accomplishing your goal that much easier as you will see gradual and continual progress. Small milestones will motivate you as you see progress every time you look back. Take it one step at a time and feel proud of what you accomplish as you are getting there. Example, if you take up a new musical instrument, take it one composition at a time and give yourself a pat on the back when you master it. After all, only when you learn how to crawl do you learn how to walk.

Ask for help if you feel overwhelmed

In all honestly, making changes is never easy. Making a routine can be challenging and changing a routine can undoubtedly be stressful. If you are feeling overly negative or unhappy with your new year resolution, don’t keep it bottled in. Talk to a friend about what you are feeling and maybe a different perspective can help you make a turnaround. If you are being too hard on yourself on the onset, your friends may be able to see that and help you. So, chin up and get back on your feet; that resolution isn’t going to complete itself.

Make one change at a time

Driving a stick means you start from 1^st gear and slowly give the car gas. Try starting out in 3^rd and your car will buck and jerk. Similarly, you need to take each step of your resolution slowly. A lot of people zealously overdo what they have planned and that can cause them to burn out very quickly and lose motivation. Another outcome could be that you could feel overwhelmed and just want to quit. It does not have to be like that. Take baby steps at first and work at your own pace.

Give yourself some slack (occasionally)

In all honesty, it’s vital to give yourself a little bit of rest from your resolution occasionally. Let’s say you have been trying to eat healthily and have been craving a milkshake for a few days. Don’t punish yourself by not getting it. Now I’m not saying ditch the diet and go ballistic. When you don’t feel deprived, your resolutions don’t feel like a punishment and deprivation is never a healthy solution to anything.

Have you had any interesting experiences with your new year’s resolutions so far? Any other tips on how to keep oneself motivated? Share your thoughts below and tell us them. Hope you have a blessed year ahead. Remember, stay happy and stay healthy!