More often than not, people make New Year's Resolutions that they aspire to fulfill in the New Year only to find that a few months later, they have not met these goals. You set out with the right intentions but end up failing miserably before the end of January. Why is it that we repeatedly struggle to keep these resolutions?
Firstly, we tend to set unrealistic resolutions and are then surprised and disappointed with ourselves when we fail to achieve them 3 weeks in. These lofty resolutions include goals such as "lose 20 pounds" (which is a lot of weight to lose in a short period of time, especially considering that losing weight is one of the hardest challenges). Then, we tend not to place a time frame on these goals, either expecting them to be met by the end of January or not really knowing when they should have been fulfilled. Try to set realistic goals with a time frame that you can track, as seeing improvement has been proven to be a key motivator.
Secondly, many New Year's resolutions are made in an excited state, after one too many drinks. Even when thinking about these resolutions afterward, we tend to get overzealous about them—so pumped up to get going—but this high level of arousal is short-lived and come February, our excitement has disappeared, thus making it more challenging to persevere with the goals. Getting the right level of arousal is key: sure, get hyped, but just make sure you don’t burn out six weeks later.
Today more than ever, life is full on and there is something happening all the time. With a lot on people’s minds, it is easy to forget about the New Year's resolutions you set seven weeks ago, particularly if you have broken them already. It is likely not to be the first thought on your mind, so a constant reminder of these goals might be useful—consider tactics such as writing resolutions on the fridge, etc. You need a clear plan that is going to help you achieve these resolutions; writing them down in your diary on the first of January will not necessarily help. Breaking your goals down into manageable chunks is likely to make you more successful at getting past the 8-week stage of your resolutions!
Finally, the biggest culprit of all: motivation—something that we all struggle with in different aspects. For many, it is the motivation to take a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle, for others it can be the motivation to study for various exams, but we have all been guilty of procrastination. New Year's resolutions are no different. We generally lack motivation because we try to achieve our goals alone or because of the reasons discussed above. To help you stay motivated, use the aforementioned tips and maybe find some social support with friends or family; for example, find a friend who is also trying to stop smoking.
With all this in mind, best of luck for the New Year!
