At the beginning of a new year, it is really common to feel pressured to make changes in your life in the form of New Year’s resolutions. While January can be a great time to make goals and changes to improve your life, it can also easily put a lot of pressure on yourself. It is especially difficult to make these kinds of goals when returning to a new semester in college; while many argue that it is easier to make new habits when you are starting a new schedule, it can also be overwhelming.
Now, I’m not saying New Year’s resolutions are bad — I actually think they are a great idea. For example, since there is typically a lot of attention on fitness and health during the beginning of the new year, I think it can be encouraging to try something new with exercise while many others are doing the same.
But around 80% of people give up on their resolutions within one month of starting, which can make you feel like a failure for not achieving your goal. The main problem with some of these resolutions is that people tend to make a couple that flip around their whole lives. But there are many more effective ways to make changes in your life.
The best way to achieve a goal is to stick with just one at first. Then, once you feel like that goal has been achieved, add another goal.
Another tip is to set goals that can be accurately tracked. Many people make general resolutions to eat healthier or lose weight, but it can be hard to measure your progress with these types of goals — which can lead to you slowly making less of an effort to achieve them. Better resolutions to make are more specific, like eating vegetables with every meal or working out at least 30 minutes a day. When you can clearly see every single day what needs to be done, you are more likely to stay on track.
Finally, it is important to remember that it is okay if you fail! Also, January is NOT the only time you can make a change in your life — anytime you have a new idea or feel ready for a change are the perfect times!