February can be a difficult month for everyone. With dreary weather and no major holidays (besides Valentine’s Day, which can be more painful than enjoyable for some), the gray blasé of February makes this month the Wednesday of the calendar year. One-third of the population gives up their New Year’s Resolution by the end of January, filling February with a sense of disappointment as well. But don’t fret. If you find yourself off track from your New Year’s Resolution, here are a few steps you can take to begin your brand-new 11 Month’s Resolution.
1. Identify the challenges and adjust accordingly
There’s a reason your resolution did not work out last month. Was it too lofty? Too challenging? Maybe you need some help in the motivation department. Whatever the reason, until you figure out what went wrong, there will not be a chance to get it right. Think of January as a free month trial. You attempted to make a positive change in your life, and now you know something wasn’t quite right. Identify what went wrong in January and make sure to fix it for February. There are still 11 months left in 2016, “New Year, New Me” is still very possible.
2. Create checkpoints
Maybe your resolution didn’t work out because you weren’t achieving the results you wanted quick enough. Some things take time. Instead of only having one goal that will take months to achieve, identify major stepping stones along the way. These “mini- resolutions” will help give you more tangible objectives to work towards and motivate you on those days that you so desperately want to revert back to your old habits.
3. Be realistic
If your New Year’s Resolution was to go to the gym seven days a week, and you never made it more than twice, then it may be time for a new goal. Your resolution should be equally challenging and feasible. Trimming it down after January is not a failure, but rather another method to work towards achievement. Unobtainable goals are as meaningless as having no goals at all. It will be much more rewarding to achieve a smaller resolution than no resolution at all.
4. Outline the Specifics
Many people do not achieve their resolutions because their goals are not specific enough. There is a major difference between “I am going to lose weight this year” and “I am going to lose 10 pounds by going to the gym 3 days a week and cutting chips and soda from my diet”. Once you have your specific goal in mind, physically write it down and hang it where you will see it everyday. Visualizing your goal will hold you more accountable.
5. Schedule Cheats
I know what you’re thinking: “Cheats? On my New Year’s Resolution? What?!” But please, hear me out. No matter what, one of these days, you’re going to reach for that cookie, or you’re going to turn off that alarm and skip your run. But instead of pretending that this will not happen, why not prepare for it? For example, if you’re trying to eat healthy, schedule a day in your week for an amazing dessert. Yes, it takes away from your goal at that specific moment, but in the long-run knowing that you have a cheat in the future will make you less likely to cheat at other moments, keeping you more on track.
The 11 Month’s Resolution may be the much less glamorous cousin of the New Year’s Resolution, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. Any day is a great day to make a positive impact on your life. One day, you will thank yourself for not waiting to achieve your goals in January 2017. And if February doesn’t go as planned either, there’s always the 10 Month’s Resolution (but don’t use that as an excuse!)
