Resolution Supprt
The New Year is a time of reflection on the past twelve months, and hope for the coming ones. That sense of renewal can feel like a blank slate, with endless opportunities to change habits. While the new year is a great time to reflect on some of the changes we’d like to see in our lives, it can be easy to create unrealistic expectations or fall back into patterns we are trying to change. Research shows that 87% of people are confident they can stick to their new years resolutions, however, by February only about 22% stick to that resolution. In this blog post we will go over some of the roadblocks to sticking with a resolution, and tips to keep your new years goals on track.
Because the new year brings so much hope and excitement, there can be a tendency to create over extensive resolutions. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big or finding multiple things you’d like to change, however we don’t want to get stuck with unrealistic resolutions. When we create resolutions that are unmanageable in our lives it can lead to feeling disappointment or shame when we can’t complete them.
One way to nativgate this is to break down a bigger resolution into smaller goals. For example, someone with a goal to lose 30 pounds may find it more manageable to lose 5 pounds every month for 6 months as opposed to focusing on the 30 right now. For those of us who can think of multiple resolutions, it may be best to focus on one or two of those resolutions at a time. It would probably be too much to try and quit smoking, lose weight, and begin meditating at the same time. Following through with one new years resolution can be hard work, there is no need to get everything done right now.
When we think about creating our resolutions, it’s helpful to think about why we want these changes. Thinking of resolutions in terms of “needs” or “shoulds” can make them feel more burdensome. By focusing on the positive aspects that will come from the resolution, we can stay motivated to maintain the change. A popular resolution is to meditate, which is an incredible way to relieve stress, create self-insight, and process deep seated emotions. If your new years resolution starts to feel like a chore, consider what positive changes will come from it.
One of the best ways to keep your resolutions is to track them. Tracking our activity keeps us accountable and it’s a great way to see progress. There are so many fantastic resources now for activity-tracking; wether it’s for yoga, journaling, mood-tracking, or even just lower back exercises, there seems to be an app for it. One resource I really like is mindapps.org, this website lists a huge number of apps with their description and you can filter for price, functionalities, and features. With Mindapps.org, you can find the perfect app to help manage your goals.
New Years Resolutions can be a great way to create positive change in your life. As we move into the new year, try to find one or two resolutions that you would like to achieve. Spend some time considering why you chose those resolutions, what would you like to achieve with this goal and how your life would be different? It may help to create smaller milestone goals with your resolutions, as well as really focusing on one or two resolutions. When we think about maintaining our resolutions, activity-tracking apps can be a great resource. Most importantly, be kind to yourself. Many of us find ourselves slipping with our resolution, and instead of beating ourselves up we can remember why we chose that resolution in the fist place.