Here’s How to Actually Keep Those New Year’s Resolutions

Over Christmas, it’s hard not to get caught up in the magic of it all. Before you know it, you’ve spent way too much, eaten yourself into a food coma and finally started to relax away from the office.

Then BAM. Reality hits.

It’s over, and you’re left with a bigger belly and a shocking bank account.

You realise there’s nothing for it but to wipe the slate clean in the GREAT JANUARY RESET and sort your life out once and for all. It’s the same every year. In fact, the reason we break our resolutions is that it’s become part of the routine!

But what if I told you 2017 is going to be the year you actually keep those New Year’s Resolutions.

The Great January Reset

We all love reinventing ourselves in January.

We decide to become a better person….make plans to be a better friend, start saving money and get the size 8 body we’ve always wanted.

By the end of February, they’re a distant memory. So you have to ask yourself, what was the point?

Well, when you make New Year’s Resolutions, you’re genuinely trying to think about what you want to improve and do better at.

Taking Control

To make some meaningful changes this year, you need to change your mindset and BREAK THE CYCLE. The concept of New Year’s Resolutions is actually a really important one.

It’s about looking at what would make your life better, making a plan of how to work towards that and then actually doing it.

So, how do you achieve this?

To get you started, follow these steps to success.

  • Write a pledge – Every January, start the year with a written pledge of what you want to achieve and how you’re going to do it. This should include a descriptive picture of what you want your life to look like. Pin this up on a wall and look at it once a week or when you need a boost. Review your progress each month against your pledge to renew your focus.
  • Meaningful resolutions – Try to choose resolutions that will enrich your life rather than become a burden. This is about getting to a place you want to be in, not because you think you should.
  • Chase actions, not results – If you usually make “general” resolutions without the specifics of how to achieve them, you’ll never keep them. It’s easy to break a plan that doesn’t exist. So instead of ‘see friends more’, why not try ‘whenever I see a friend, I’ll get the next date in the diary so I don’t go months without seeing them’.
  • Be selfish – Improving yourself doesn’t just involve money and weight. It’s also okay to make a resolution that’s all about you. This could be something as simple as spending time alone to get through your book collection you never have time for. Enrich your life with things you love!
  • Create habits – This is one that’s bound to get a few eye rolls, but it’s got merit. Much of what you are is the result of habits e.g. having takeaways 3 nights a week results in extra pounds on the scales. Try to incorporate your resolutions into your routine until they become normal. This could be walking a longer route home, for example.
  • Play to your strengths – Many people fail in their resolutions because it’s just not them. If you’re hopeless at getting up in the morning, don’t book that early morning class for your new hobby. If you hate running, why not take a lunchtime walk instead? Always be aware of reasons you may fail and tackle these head on by avoiding them in the first place.

Keeping New Year’s Resolutions is always hard. The first step to achieving meaningful changes is making ones which will make life more enjoyable, and the positive results will come!

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