2024 is in front of us, and we are probably ready with our New Year resolutions in our hand. New Year means new you, better you, and the path to achieve the best version of you.
However, before we welcome 2024, let’s sit back and remember. Get the list of 2023 resolutions and check it. How many of them have you ticked off or crossed out? How many of them have you accomplished? Did you make enough effort to accomplish your 2023 resolutions?
It’s that only a few of our New Year resolutions that were successfully accomplished. According to research only 44 percent of those who make New Year’s resolutions are still hanging in there six months later. New challenges that coming in our way sometimes do not allow us to realize our resolution, or maybe we simply forget that we have that resolution. If this always happens from year to year, how do you say that New Year is the time for new you? New Year resolutions just become a hopeless pursuit for you.
Setting and keeping New Year resolutions doesn’t have to be a hopeless pursuit. Come and think about it: that list of resolutions is planned by you, written by you, and you are the one who is responsible to accomplish them.
Now we will help you with some tips to make and keep your New Year resolutions. Nothing is impossible, and you also can accomplish all of your resolutions!
Think small
It is good to dream big and have a long list of resolutions to accomplish this year, but we got to be rational. The fewer things your brain has to deal with, the better. Think of the most doable things you can accomplish in the near future first, and then move to the bigger things later.
Be specific
One of the main reasons why people have such a hard time fulfilling their New Year’s resolutions is because the goals are too general. For example, if you have a fitness goal and want to be more in shape this year, you should set your concrete target like “I have to shed 5 kg in three months” or “I’m going to commit to a 30-minutes workout four times a week.”
Schedule check-ins
It is not an uncommon thing to completely forget about your New Year’s resolutions after a few weeks or months have gone by. We know that everyday life will take all of your attention, and it’s hard to stay focused on your major goal. That’s why it’s important to schedule several days throughout the year when you will reassess the progress toward your resolution goals. That is the time when you can ask yourself about how close you are to achieve your goals, what have you done during the previous months to fulfill your goals, and your next plan towards your goals.
Motivate Yourself
One of the main reasons why the resolutions we make in New Years fail is the lack of purpose and motivation. There are many ways to conquer this, depending what works the best for you. Make a pros and cons list to remind you on why you are doing this or creating emotional support would also help to make you stay on track with your goals. Otherwise, motivate yourself by giving rewards whenever you reach a significant goal.
Don’t be afraid to fail
What can you do when you’ve started to fall off track? The key is stay persistent. The more you beat yourself up and feel guilty about something, the further you get from your goals. So, just give yourself a break, and get back on the track. It is very important to recognize that you can continue forward, even if you’ve failed miserably. Failures do not have the right to stop you!
Divide your main goals into small tasks
We understand you have BHAG or Big Hairy Audacious Goals for your time this year, but going after it straight away will only overwhelm you. Keep your goals manageable by dividing it into little tasks that builds up to what you want to achieve. In fact, the more planning you do now will lead to higher chances that you will get there in the end. Not only that, it also ensures that you will keep your willpower when it goes down. You need to set clear, realistic goals and you will find yourself achieving your main goal within your timeline.
Plan a deadline for your goals.
You may not realize it, but time-frame is vital for motivating you towards your goals. The ways you assess your short-term progress towards the ultimate long-term goals is your barometer for success. Grab a calendar or diary so you can plan your actions for the coming weeks or months, and decide when and how often to evaluate.
Give yourself a treat
Sometimes, you may get tired or discouraged after reaching out for your goals. Evade this step by giving yourself a treat every time you reach important milestones. But be important, do not give yourself a treat that would endanger your goals. One such example is overeating after reaching your goal weight or going on a shopping spree after saving money. Don’t go overboard, or else all your efforts for reaching your goals will go to waste.
Let’s follow these tips and at the end of the year, see how much you’ve been progressing from the day 1. Just remember to never stop doing what you can do to achieve your goals. Happy New Year!
