At the turn of the years, people like to set New Year’s resolutions – goals which they wish to fulfill in the upcoming year. The New Year feels like a fresh start and a great opportunity to change old habits and establish new routines. Though, before you make a resolution for yourself, think.
New Year’s resolutions help people to change an undesired trait or accomplish a personal goal. At the end of the day, only a few are successful and turn it into reality. To be able to do it, one should have a strong belief and determination. According to a study, those who set New Year's resolutions are 10 times more likely to change their behavior than the ones who don’t. But only 12% of people were successful in achieving their goals.
Typical New Year’s resolutions are for example: lose weight, become more active, stop procrastinating, get rid of old things, start saving money, … If you want to be successful with your New Year’s resolutions, you should choose a specific and achievable goal. Don’t go with “losing weight”. Instead, commit to losing 5 kg thanks to running and reducing sweets. Instead of “start saving money” say “save 10% of my salary a month”. 10% sounds realistic – it’s not too much but not too little.
TIP: Useful resolution for the next year can be picking up a new skill or learning to control your emotions.
Focus on one goal at a time. The most common reason for resolutions to fail is taking on too much too quickly. Do small steps that will ultimately help you reach your larger goal.
“Tomorrow is the 1st blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” – Brad Paisley
Change is a process and won’t happen overnight so keep yourself motivated. Once you have committed to changing behavior, it may be something that you continue to work on for the rest of your life.