We all set resolutions at the start of each year, but more often than not, we give up before the year (or month, or week, or sometimes day) is over. Here are some ways to change that and hopefully follow through on your goals for 2016!
1. Set Specific Goals
It’s hard to keep track of what you’re aiming for and accomplishing when you set broad, general goals. Instead of something like “be healthier”, set specifics like “drink 6 cups of water a day” or “only have dessert once a week”. By having more tangible goals, you’re more likely to succeed because you’re considering how you’re being healthier.
2. Make Reasonable Resolutions
It’s good to push yourself once in a while, but don’t make ridiculous resolutions that will end up discouraging you. Instead of saying you’ll run 10 miles a day, go on at least a 15-minute daily run. This way if you have days when you want to run 10 miles, you’re still meeting your resolution, and on days you don’t feel like exercising at all, it’s much easier to convince yourself to go just for 15 minutes.
3. Tell Everyone
No matter how independent you are, it’s always nice to have friends, family, and even acquaintances supporting you. By letting people know you’ve decided to quit smoking, you have their positive attitudes to encourage you and the potential embarrassment of them seeing you break your resolution as a motivator.
4. Keep Track Throughout the Year
Check in with yourself periodically to see how you’re doing and, if need be, adjust your resolution so that it works better. What you decide on January 1st isn’t set in stone. If you realized that you don’t have time to sleep 10 hours a day, instead of completely forgetting your resolution, change it to something more reasonable like 7 hours.
5. Reward Yourself
Celebrate when you’ve been following through on your resolutions. Got straight A’s winter quarter? Great! Buy yourself a cake, or treat yourself to a nice spa day. Planning your rewards ahead of time will give you extra drive to accomplish what you want!
Here’s to a new year and a fresh start, collegiettes! Good luck on your 2016 resolutions!