It’s that time of year again. While we’re still feeling the warm glow of the holiday spirit and ringing in not just a new year but a new decade, new year’s resolutions will be more ambitious than ever. It’s almost a joke now to talk about resolutions, knowing that in a few week’s time we’ll be right back to our old habits. We fail to see the possibility of our own success, believing that we’re set up for failure every time.
After all, we’ve all heard why new year’s resolutions don’t work. True — they are hard to keep. There’s added pressure to perform when you speak it into the world. That said, I don’t believe that all resolutions are an inherent lost cause.
It is possible to keep our resolutions and reach our goals, no matter what they are or when they’re made. It’s tough, but I also know that the right mindset and approach is all that stands between yourself and long-term success.
6 Essential Ways to Approach New Year’s Resolutions
1) Get Motivated by the Right Why
I’ve written before about how our motivations matter as they pertain to fitness. The right motivation makes all the difference in whether or not we achieve our goals. For example, exercising with the goal of getting a great body is fine, but it usually doesn’t have the lasting power you need to overcome temptations of instant gratification.
Instead, choose a motivation that is long-term and consequential. For example, getting in shape because you want to be able to play with your grandkids in the future, or you want to stay mobile even in old age. Maybe you want to curb some genetic health risks and beat the odds.
These are the sorts of motivations that result in real-life change.
2) Make a List of Pros and Cons
That’s right — make a list of both pros and cons to following through with your resolution and staying as you are. While logic rarely overrules emotion, we do have to recognize why we keep falling back into old patterns. There are so many unhealthy habits that just feel good to us. Eating unhealthily, binging in front of the TV — these all come with those temporary endorphin rushes. We like to get instant gratification.
When you understand why you keep pursuing unhealthy behaviors, you can better weigh them against the alternative — your resolutions.
3) Use Frustrations Effectively
I know resolutions are hard to keep, believe me. It’s a failure on our part to expect to be flawless in keeping new habits and adopting new mindsets. We’ll no doubt return to our old ways, but this is no excuse to quit. Instead, we must channel that frustration into motivation. Rather than allowing setbacks to defeat you, take those feelings and emotions and put them towards your goals. Let them fuel you forward rather than hold you back.
4) Reward Your Milestones
One way to continue your resolution momentum is to reward your progress. Don’t make the mistake of rewarding yourself in counter-productive ways, though. If you’re trying to lose weight, don’t use a “cheat meal” or a culinary indulgence as your reward. Reward yourself with a small purchase, like a new article of clothing. You can also do things as cost-free and small as renting a favorite movie or listening to your favorite music. Enjoy a hot bath and other small pleasures. These are rewards that will make you feel good without sabotaging progress.
5) Incentivize Progress
Sometimes a financial incentive is necessary. Platforms like Healthy Wage pay out when you meet your goals by allowing you to bet on yourself and your ambitions. If you don’t want to go to a third-party, have a trusted friend or your spouse hold a cash reward for you in an envelope. Make it a large enough amount to matter to you and set clear, defined goals for your winning it back. If you don’t reach the mark, require yourself to donate the money to charity. Even if you’re not setting a weight loss goal, you can add a monetary incentive to just about any resolution.
6) Be Grateful for Each Step
When it comes to new year’s resolutions, we tend to fall into an all-or-nothing mindset. We’re impatient. We just want to get there and get it done. However, this isn’t a very realistic picture of goal progress. Instead of bemoaning that you aren’t where you want to be and falling prey to discouragement, allow yourself to be where you are and so appreciate even small efforts to better yourself and your quality of life.
What strategies help your resolutions stick? Share your best tips in the comments.