Successful New Year Resolutions
Are you one of the 45% of adults who make new years resolutions with enthusiasm? Statistics show that you are likely to make the same resolution as last year and that there is a 64% chance of you keeping it for more than a month. It is good to remember that what the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the New Year.
The most popular resolutions relate to health – weight loss, exercise and quitting smoking, and then money management. Here are some tips for increasing the likelihood of following through on your good intentions:
1. Make a plan. It’s just a wish if you don’t make a plan. Write it down. Be specific. And prepare for possible obstacles.
2. Write a list of reasons for having the resolution. Every day review your goal and your reasons for doing it, the benefits you are looking for. This is motivating and gives your intention power.
3. Be accountable to someone. Surround yourself with people who support your efforts. By sharing your resolution you are making a greater commitment to it. Choose people to share it with who believe in what you are doing and want you to succeed.
4. Set realistic achievable expectations. Whilst we often wish for rapid progress real growth is a slow and steady journey. When you set reasonable expectations and achieve them it motivates you to set the next goal.
We want to change and yet we often struggle with it and fear change. Without change we will stay the same, which is fine if we are happy with our health and wellbeing. It’s destructive to keep the same daily routine and habits if we’re not happy with our everyday existence. Courage is essential to change, because change requires risk and the fear of failure. Changing habits requires persistence, reading your resolution and benefits from achieving it daily will help keep you determined. When setbacks occur or obstacles arise see it as a challenge and persevere. Remember that nothing worth achieving happens over night, patience is required to reap the rewards of new habits.
As the New Year approaches reflect on the year that is coming to an end. What would you like to be different in 2018? Choose one or two areas of health and wellbeing to focus on. This may include physical health, emotional health/personal growth, relationships/family, career, education, financial freedom and spiritual fulfilment. We’re fortunate to live in a country of abundance and opportunity. With this privilege comes responsibility – to make personal choices that will serve us and our community well.
As Albert Einstein said “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
I wish you all that is good now and through out the year to come.