New year, new me.
Wrong. Incorrect. Scratch that.
I remember reading somewhere, “New Year, same me, but I’m going to love her better than before.” Now that’s the mentality we’re looking for!
There’s nothing I hate more than that brief period following the start of the New Year – everyone swarms the gym and clears the grocery stores of healthy food for a solid two weeks. Once mid-January rolls around, the gym is suddenly less populated and the salad aisle seems to restock itself.
It’s not easy to commit to a resolution, but it’s totally possible! Here are a few tips and tricks to help you stick to your resolutions.
- Read up on the psychology of change
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Last year, I implemented a few lifestyle changes for the sake of my health and well-being. Some changes are easier to adopt than others. Keep in mind that it takes 21 days of consistent behavior to introduce a new routine in your life.
Change does not happen overnight. If you’re looking to break a bad habit, be gentle with yourself if you fall back into it. Change can also be scary, and science backs it up – humans love consistency. Breaking a habit that has settled into a part of your day-to-day routine is going to be weird, but it will get easier over time!
- Keep your resolution Lowkey
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Although everyone loves to share resolutions on Facebook or with family and friends, it is best to keep your goals to yourself. Recent studies have found that people who share their goals are content with a premature sense of completeness. By sharing your goals aloud and with others, you’re tricking yourself into thinking that you’ve already accomplished it.
Skip the praise from your friends and family. Writing down your goals somewhere personal, like a planner or journal, will help you to internalize them and keep track of progress personally. If you need motivation from others, keep it low-key and only share with a few supportive people.
- Know when to reward yourself
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Sometimes, sticking to a new routine is hard. Life can be busy and it’s easy to put your resolutions on the back burner, especially when you’re first getting started. With that being said, know when it’s acceptable to reward yourself.
If you’ve hit the gym for the past week, definitely treat yourself to a rest day or a trip to the spa. If you’ve followed your new diet regimen for the past month, don’t shame yourself for grabbing an occasional milkshake from McDonald’s. Resolutions are about bettering yourself; not making yourself miserable.
- Create a Positive Environment
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We can’t heal in a place that made us sick in the first place. If you’re looking to implement positive change into your life, understand that you need to create an environment that fosters growth.
If you’re looking to eat healthier, remove junk food from your pantries. Instead, fill them with healthy foods you’ll actually enjoy and eat. Don’t buy kale simply because it’s healthy — buy kale because you actually enjoy eating it!
Creating a positive environment can be really simple and fun! Curating a workout playlist, researching methods to increase productivity or writing out some healthy recipes can serve as great encouragement down the road.
- Celebrate small successes
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As I’ve mentioned before, we are creatures of habit here. Change is not a linear process, so it’s important to celebrate baby steps in the correct direction. Don’t focus strictly on the large goal. Understand that you have to take baby steps and make preparations to get there.
The New Year can be hard for some people. I hate how society pressures us to change at the beginning of the year. If you’re not ready to make big changes in your life, that’s okay! Start when you’re ready. Take this time of year to reflect and enjoy what’s to come. You’re doing great.