How to Do a New Year Resolution Right
"JUST because you took that detour does not mean you cannot do it."
Get in shape.
Eat healthier.
Exercise more.
Lose weight.
More self-care.
Americans flock toward the idea of self-improvement which is why I am willing to bet that one of these has made the top of your new year’s resolution list. In fact, year after year these are the most common goals made by American’s, but how many of us are able to stick to those goals? Unfortunately according to Forbes just 8% of us make it through the year and stay true to the goal we set out to accomplish.
It has nothing to do with our ability to achieve a goal either. Think back to a time when you set a goal and achieved it. Now think of another one. And another.
We have all set goals and achieved them, from going to school to running a race, so why do we struggle with making new year's resolutions stick? It has more to do with the goals you are setting than with you.
Here are some tips to help you make 2019 the year you set a resolution you can keep:
Keep it simple and realistic. If thinking about your new year’s resolution list is exhausting you may want to re-evaluate. Often times we set out to do a complete overhaul at the beginning of the year, but that is realistic. Instead focus on simple lifestyle changes that you can make. Making small changes over time will eventually lead to that big change. When you think about people in your life who have changed, it didn’t happen overnight, usually it was over a long period of time.
Make it specific - “eating healthier” isn’t exactly the easiest to follow because what does that even mean? Does that mean you are going to incorporate a vegetable at every meal or does it mean you are only going to eat fast food once a month?
Understand your why. When it comes to health-related goals, the why is often much deeper than just wanting to lose some weight. Dig deep and try to understand why this thing is important to you. What will achieving this goal help you accomplish? Will it give you more confidence, ultimately leading you to make the career change you are wanting or is more about being able to chase your children around the park? Write down your why and/or share it with someone close to you.
Stop the scroll. Comparison steals our successes and social media is often a comparison trap. It is something not only my clients have struggled with, but something that I have struggled with. It is easy to see someone’s success without seeing how long it took them to get there or the work behind the scenes, which triggers an inner dialogue of negative self-talk. It can leave you feeling like you aren’t capable of achieving your goals and ultimately walking away from them. If you find this happening try to reduce your screen time or unfollow people who aren’t filling up your cup in some way.
Make it visual. Studies have shown that by simply writing down a goal you will be more likely to achieve it. Other researches suggest taking it a step further will help you be more successful. Make a vision board. Start a Facebook group that friends and family can join. Write it down on your bathroom mirror. Do something that will be a daily reminder of your goal.
Get a partner. I am sure you have someone in your life that has a goal similar to yours. Work with that person to hold each other accountable throughout the year. Don’t have someone in mind? Share your goal on social media for that extra accountability.
Plan for detours. There will be unplanned detours throughout this journey. Expect them to happen and then continue forward when they do. It is okay if a week doesn’t go the way we want it to go, just find your way back to your path.
Take morality out of the equation. This is especially important when setting a health goal. There is no such thing as “good” or “bad” foods and eating said foods do not make you “good” or “bad.” If you choose to eat a piece of chocolate and skip your workout one day it doesn’t make you “bad,” it makes you human. Rather than thinking of things in terms of good or bad, think about them in terms of how they make you feel. If you decide that eating fast food zaps your energy and you notice that your joints ache more when you eat it then that should be why you are choosing not to eat it, not because it is “bad.” Fast food isn’t “bad,” it just doesn’t fuel us the same way a nutrient dense meal would.
Keep on believing in yourself. Just because you took that detour doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Studies have shown that when it comes to setting goals what you believe will happen, will happen. So you can have as much willpower to do what you need to do as you think is possible. Once you start believing you don’t have that willpower it will become true.
My 2019 Resolutions
Read more - read one book a month.
Skip the fast food. I know that the oils used in fast food restaurants leave me with more inflammation - specifically I get flare ups in my SI joint and knees, so this year my husband and I are going to resolve not to eat at them. Besides, there are so many yummier options. (P.S. We have decided that Chipotle is not included in fast food)
Volunteer more - I am going to seek a volunteer opportunity once a quarter. Giving back fills my cup up, so I want to make sure I am finding ways to include in my life over the next year.
I hope that the rest of your holiday season is filled with joy and that 2019 is a year that leaves you feeling like a more BA version of yourself.
Jennifer Cooper-Nobo
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