Every year, we repeat the mantra “New year, new me.” January first, we are all so determined to make the coming year our best one yet. The most common resolution is to get fit. Gyms are insanely crowded for the entire month of January. By February, something happens. The general population seems to have given up on their plans and goals. However, some of us are successful in maintaining our New Year’s resolutions into the later months of the year. Here is a list of suggestions to keep your willpower strong throughout the entire year.
1. Write Them Down
When you’re thinking of your goals, make it a point to write them down somewhere where you’ll see it often. This could be something as simple as a sticky note on your computer or a list on your refrigerator. If you write down these goals, they will serve as a constant reminder of the goals you set out for yourself. It’s important that these goals are written with specific wording as there will be no unclear aspects of them.
2. Start Out Small
Where many people go wrong with their New Year’s resolution is thinking that they can change their lives in a day. The reality of the situation is it takes time to build up a habit. If your goal is to become a more fit individual, slowly work up to it. Instead of saying that you’ll go to the gym every day, start by aiming to go once a week. After a certain point, plan to go twice a week and so on. Eventually, you will build up a habit that will translate into a goal that you can keep up with all year round.
3. Maintain Realistic Expectations
If your resolution is to get fit, you need to realize that you won’t see results overnight. If you have the expectation that the process will be gradual, you will be less likely to get frustrated and give up. Realizing that change is a process is an important step to creating a new habit in your life that will actually stick.
4. Make a Plan
A large barrier to many resolutions is not having the time to spend keeping up with them. If you just sit around and hope that your life will change, the odds of things actually changing are slim. You need to sit down and come up with a realistic plan to accomplish your goals in a way that will fit into your life. If you plan out specific times during your week to spend with your New Year’s resolutions, you will be setting yourself up for success.
5. Hold Yourself Accountable
Periodically check up on yourself to see where you are in keeping with your goals. If you’ve somehow managed to fall off the wagon, this could create the opportunity to get back into the routine.
Most importantly, realize that these resolutions are created by you to increase your own quality of life. With 365 days comes 365 opportunities to create the life you want to lead.