Today, January 17th, is the most common date to give up on New Year resolutions, giving it the name National Ditch your New Year’s Resolution Day. With these 10 tips, we’re hoping you’ll beat this statistic and stick to your new year, new you goals!
- Focus on one resolution, rather several and set realistic, specific goals. Losing weight is not a specific goal. Do yoga for 30 minutes, 3 times a week, for 6 weeks is a specific goal.
- Take small steps. Many people quit because the goal is too big requiring too much effort and action all at once.
- Have an accountability buddy, someone close to you to whom you have to report.
- Celebrate your success between milestones. Don’t wait the goal to be finally completed.
- Remind yourself that the time-frame for developing a habit varies widely but research shows us that it is approximately 180 days for most habits.
- Focus your thinking on new behaviors and thought patterns. You have to create new neural pathways in your brain to change habits.
- Focus on the present. What’s the one thing you can do today, right now, towards your goal?
- Focus on the process, rather than the outcome. Learn to enjoy the journey instead of only caring about the destination.
- Be mindful. Become physically, emotionally and mentally aware of your inner state as each external event happens, moment-by-moment, rather than living in the past or future.
- Don’t take yourself so seriously. Have fun and laugh at yourself when you slip, but don’t let the slip hold you back from working at your goal.
