As easy as it is to set resolutions every New Year, it’s just as easy to break them. We’ve all done this, yet every year we still decide to make new ones. The quest for self-improvement never really goes away, but we do forget about it if we become too busy or overwhelmed by what is required to achieve it. Here’s how to make this the year you stuck to your resolutions.
Get an accountability buddy. This is a tried and true method of achieving any goal. If you are the only one holding yourself accountable, it’s much easier to just let it slide. This is why people always tell you to announce your goal or resolution everywhere you can; if people know, they will help you stay on track.
The best way to maintain a change is to have an accountability buddy who is working on making the same change. Have a friend who also wants to get fit? Become running buddies and you’ll be more likely to make that morning run so you don’t leave your friend running alone.
Use an app or tracker. Again, like the accountability buddy, this is another great tool in keeping you accountable. There are plenty of health, fitness and all kinds of lifestyle apps that will ping your phone to remind you to weigh yourself, track your meals or log your exercise. If you don’t have an accountability buddy, this is the next best thing.
Make it something you actually want to stick to. If your goal is to lose weight because you think it’s one of those things you should probably do, but you’d much rather keep eating the food you love, the reality is, you’re not going to do it. It has to be a goal that you are truly committed to, which usually comes down to the reason behind it.
If you need to lose weight for health reasons, that might make it a big enough “why” to stay motivated. But if you’re happier eating the cake, focus on a different resolution that actually inspires you rather than leaves you feeling deprived. Resolve to travel more or ask for that raise or something else that you actually truly want to do.
Set smaller goals on the path to the big goal. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds by 2020, that can seem overwhelming and cause you to give up. The key is to measure your success more often in smaller increments. Have weekly and monthly goals that you track regularly. Losing five pounds by February might be a smaller goal, but it’s doable and the rush of achieving it will set you up to do it again come next month.
