Did you know that the average person keeps a New Year resolution for around a month? Yes, that is right, most people give up on their resolutions shortly into the month of February. But why is that?
Well, the simple answer is, it is common to think of resolutions as goals. Unfortunately, goals are typically seen as a desire or outcome that ends once achieved or is so big the end can’t be seen in the near future. With no focus on making a goal an effortless part of life, it is the mindset that sets people up to fail. As discouraging as this may seem, luckily with a slight change in mindset and a focus on creating new subconscious habits instead of goals, success is within your reach.
Whether you are looking to wake up earlier, save more money, get into better shape and so on, if you have set your NYE resolutions and want to stick to them -- here is a New Habit Listicle with 8 simple tips to help you achieve all your resolutions.
8 Tips
Start Simple
Coming in at number one, we think starting simple is the most important aspect of actually making NYE resolutions happen. Fact is, keeping it simple can make something that at first feels daunting seem easy.
For example, if your resolution is to run a marathon by December 2021 but you’ve never run one day in your life, you may feel overwhelmed by the idea and even put running shoes on. Jumping right into running will most definitely lead to burn out. Instead, start with a 20-minute speed walk for seven days. Then slowly make your way up to running and increasing distances. Pretty soon, in a few months, running will feel like a breeze.
Commit To At Least 30 Days
As we mentioned above, goals (or resolutions in this case) can feel like enormous tasks to tackle. To help break down the task, at first commit to 30 days. Saying you are going to wake up at 5 am for one month feels a lot less painful than saying you will wake up early for 1 year. After 30 days, commit to a new time frame. Eventually, after some time, a habit will form and you won’t need to mentally commit. Hint: it takes between 21 and 60 days to start forming new habits.
Make It Happen Daily
When you do something every day versus once a week or month, it will become part of a routine. Closely related to the start simple tip, making it happen daily means doing something small to help you get used to the new task. For those who want to save money, putting aside a dollar or two every night instead of $50 every two weeks or month can make a huge difference. The same goes for creating new eating habits and so forth.
Remind Yourself
Setting alarms, notifications, and making notes will ensure you stick to your resolution. We like to make reminder notices that say something like, “Hey if you didn’t workout this morning, there is still time to workout tonight!” On top of that, remind yourself why you are doing something. Who doesn’t love getting a note for yourself that encourages and reminds you how awesome you are?
Work On It With A Friend
Sticking to it alone can be hard. Having a buddy along the way can make any resolution more achievable. Quitting smoking, wanting to go on vacation, volunteering… someone to check-in with and do activities with keeps you accountable and focused.
Remove Temptation
A big tip that will help keep you on track, temptations can make NYE resolution success impossible. For example, if you are working on eating healthier, get rid of all the unhealthy food in your home, and do not go out to eat at places that offer foods not in your diet. Go to bed earlier and do things that will support you in sticking to your new habit. You got this!
Write It Down
Lists on lists on lists. In this tip, we suggest not typing it down, we suggest taking a piece of paper and a pen and actually writing it down. Place the resolutions in a place where you can see them every day. This will help you remember and stick to what you set out to achieve. Physically cross things off the list and make notes as you make progress.
Find Rewards
Last but not least, reward yourself for all of the hard work you are putting in. We recently saw a girl on a journey to self-confidence. She made a step by step chart of what she will do every week. At the end of the week, she rewarded herself with a haircut, pedicure, and the best of all new clothing! After all the effort you put in, you deserve to treat yourself. Rewards can make something not so fun, FUN.
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