Tips to Help You Keep Your Resolutions
Picking your New Year’s Resolution is the easy part – actually keeping it is a whole other kettle of fish. If you’re struggling not to break the goals you set for yourself this new year, we have some tips to help keep you strong!
Find a Support System
Misery loves company, right, so why not extend that to include keeping your new year’s resolution? Find a buddy or support group to vent to about your difficulties sticking to your resolution and in turn listen to their complaints. Offer each other suggestions, tips and moral support. While it might not make things easier, it’ll give you someone (or a group of someones) to turn to when you need a distraction or commiseration, and chances are they’ll be able to help you get back on track if you do find yourself straying.
Reward Yourself
Give yourself something to look forward to! Award yourself prizes or treats to match certain goal milestones. Let’s say you planned to lose weight this year. Why not treat yourself with the gift of going to see a movie or trying out that new Lush bath bomb you really wanted to buy? If your goal was of the mental rather than the physical variety (i.e. learning to control your anxiety), then let yourself indulge in a venti Starbucks drink of your choice. Sticking to your goals is hard, so make sure you let yourself acknowledge when you’re doing a good job!
Keep Your Goals Realistic
Make sure that the goals you set for yourself are within reason. It’s one thing to say, “I’m going to cut down on my sugar consumption” and another to say “I’m never going to eat sugar again ever.” While the second goal is technically attainable, it’s incredibly difficult and much harder to psych yourself up to. Start small and build up to it if you really want to eliminate sugar completely, but don’t raise the bar too high right from the start. Which leads into the last point:
Stay Positive
It’s not going to be easy. There are going to be days you’re ready to phone it in and give up. There will be days where you do cheat, or give in, or slack, and you’ll wonder if maybe you should just quit completely or if it’s even worth trying again. Don’t let negativity overwhelm you! Everyone stumbles and falls, but the key is to force yourself to get back up again!