If you’re reading this article, you probably made some kind of New Year’s resolution a few weeks ago (according to statistics, about half of us do). Sadly, also according to stats, only 8% of us resolute souls then follow through and succeed in actually turning our resolutions into everyday realities. In fact, 1 in 3 will have ditched their resolutions way before we even hit February!
1. Think it through
According to an American university’s research studies, people who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who make vague resolutions. So think it through. What exactly are you wanting to change? How will this happen? What practical steps will need to be taken in order to reach success? Have you factored these in, and allowed space and budget for them to thrive?
2. Write it down and talk it up
Taking the time to formally write down and then articulate our resolutions is also really important if we hope to achieve real staying power… “Tell others your goal”, says John C. Norcross, Ph.D., a distinguished professor of psychology at the University of Scranton and author ofChangeology: 5 Steps to Realizing your Goals and Resolutions. "Going public increases accountability and allows for more support," he adds.
3. Don’t over-do it
Once you understand that most resolutions actually require many behaviour changes, you’ll understand why making too many of them all at once is setting you up to fail. For example, a successful weight-loss programme calls for more than just a decision to eat less. You have to shop and cook differently, start or ramp up an exercise routine, maybe even ditch certain social events. With this in mind, most experts suggest starting with one resolution only. When you’ve mastered it and it’s part of your lifestyle, you can start on another one.
4. Give your willpower a daily workout
According to Joseph Shrand, a professor at Harvard Medical School, self-restraint is a rational desire, which means it is easily overpowered by our brain’s more primitive survival instincts and pleasure-seeking drives. But take heart, according to Shrand, will power is a muscle that can grow in strength. By exercising a little will power every day, you’ll find that you have more restraint tomorrow. In short, give your will power a workout and it’ll grow stronger. But how? While most of our resolutions will require will power, you can boost your brain’s ability to incline towards restraint by exercising it – literally! In an insightful webmd.com article, Shrand recommends squeezing a grip strengthener (available at most sport stores) or a rubber ball till it becomes uncomfortable, then hold as long as you can. Repeat at least twice a day. This simple exercise is like a push-up for your willpower.
5. Prepare to fight
Don’t let the feel-good festive season feelings fool you – it’s war out there. Keeping your New Year's resolutions is going to be anything but easy. After a month, that new juice blender isn’t going to look so new and exciting to clean out everyday, the snooze button will look oh-so-tempting when the colder weather sets in, and in the face of frosted cupcakes and overcrowded gyms, you’ll have to be prepared to fight to keep your resolutions alive. This is not some rose-tinted pinterest poster, this is real life, and it’s messy. Still, becoming the best versions of ourselves is worth all the elbow grease, sweat and tears along the way.
Here’s to conquered mountains, new horizons and resolutions made reality.
