Many of us had really good intentions for the new year. Sometimes, however, good intentions are not enough. Did you know: According to U.S. News & World Report, 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. I know – it’s a really high number and it can be disheartening.
So now what? Just forget about that resolution and move on? That’s one option. The nice thing about any goal, really, is that you have an opportunity to restart it at any time. It doesn’t have to be the beginning of the year, month or week to start. It starts now. Don’t wait for the perfect time; there really is no such thing. Recommit to your goals. Here are some tips to help:
Do the next best choice
If your goal seems to be “too big” and will require a commitment over time, start by making small, manageable choices that will support it. For example, if you wanted to be more active this year, make sure you are taking the stairs when you can or parking your car just a little further away. Feel that you can’t climb up four flights of stairs? Start with two. If you wanted to cut sugar, maybe start by just reducing your afternoon chocolate craving to one serving instead of two. Eat half of those fries. Baby steps. And if you didn’t make the best choice? Pick the best choice next time and start again
Plan
When you fail to plan, you plan to fail! It’s hard to eat more fruits and veggies when you actually didn’t go grocery shopping. You can’t go to the gym unless your clothes are in the car. You can’t start journaling if you don’t have a notebook or if you aren’t setting aside five minutes to write. Set yourself up to meet your goal by getting everything you need in place.
Get support
Reach out to family or friends who can support you in your efforts. Find a group of like-minded people to talk about your goal. You can find groups for just about everything on social media platforms. A therapist (like me!) can also help you stay accountable.
Be kind and patient with yourself. Change is hard. Common knowledge says that it takes 21 days to create a habit and it takes 90 days to create a lifestyle. It is never too late to start.
There are some great books on the topic of forming habits; happy to share my recommendations.
Hope this helps motivate you and get you back on track!
