Like every year, you probably have things you want to change to make 2019 the best year of your life. In general, New Year’s resolutions are to combat all the bad habits from the year you’re leaving behind, so making sure they stay in the past is super important. But laziness usually catches up with the resolve to change and we tend to slip back into old habits. Here’s a few ways to stay on top of your resolutions.
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Write everything down. If you can, get a new notebook to symbolize the new year. But if you can’t it’s totally fine. Just begin writing somewhere fresh. You can start with a letter to yourself explaining what disappointed you from last year, or what brought down your mood, and what you can do to change it. Make sure you let out your feelings to really remind yourself why you wanted a new start in the first place. Then, dedicate some time to creating a visually impactful list of your actual resolutions.
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Tie a colored string on your wrist for every resolution. A friend of mine once told me that people who have issues remembering important things tie strings around their fingers. Why not do the same for our important, positive intentions in our lives? If you have more than one resolution, get different colored strings. Each time you look at your wrist (or your fingers), you will be reminded of your intentions.
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Take it slow. If you have unrealistic resolutions, odds are you won’t accomplish any long lasting change. It’s very difficult to break habits or patterns, and just like it takes time to build them, it takes time to get rid of them. For each resolution map out baby steps of how you can eventually reach your ultimate goal.
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Make a vision board. The idea is to put in as much energy as possible to the change you want. You can even make art out of it. Get some cardboard, old magazines, glue, and a pair of scissors. Start creating a poster with images and words that relate to your resolutions. These should awaken positive feelings in you too. Print pictures, draw, paint; make it your own! When you’re done, hang it somewhere you can see it every day. It will also be a friendly reminder of where you want to be.
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Talk about it. Sometimes keeping things to yourself isn’t the best choice. In some situations, sharing can help increase support. Decide if you want to tell your closest people about your resolutions and if so, what they can do to help. You may want to share some and keep others to yourself, it’s up to you. But having the people you love give you a hand is always positive!
There’s this myth that resolutions are meant to be broken… they’re not! Fresh starts are necessary in life and being constant with your intentions is what growth is all about. Don’t beat yourself up if you struggle. But most importantly, don’t give it up. You can always come back to your resolution if you get lost in the process. Do this for yourself, because this year is already yours.