Maybe you rang in 2023 with new resolve to exercise more, quit smoking, lose weight, not sweat the small stuff. And maybe these resolutions sound familiar — you may have made them before but were unsuccessful in maintaining them. How can you fortify your determination so your goals stick around past Valentine's Day? By creating new habits.
Creating a new habit takes time and energy. New behaviors don't happen overnight, but you can still enjoy some of their benefits pretty quickly. As you start to take walks regularly or engage in stress-reducing techniques, you'll find it doesn’t feel quite right to stop. Channel that instinct to continue! Keep nudging yourself in the direction you'd like to go. Celebrate small victories. And try the following tips to create long-lasting change.
Start small
Feel motivated and excited about your goal, but don’t let ambition lure you to an unattainable level. Try something new but don’t commit yourself to 5 times a week right away. Start slowly and consistently so that you get used to it, and build from there. Giving yourself the strategy to meet a goal in small steps can help you avoid getting discouraged.
Be realistic
Setting goals in line with your lifestyle and what you’ll be able to achieve allows you to keep your motivation. Be honest with yourself and consider the time and resources you can make available in meeting goals.
Make it specific and finite
For your goal to be attainable, it’s important that you make it specific and measurable. Establish a plan so you know how to get there. If your goal is to exercise more, set an amount of time: maybe 30 minutes a day, 4 times a week. Or if you want to lose weight, make sure you have a specific and healthy goal weight in mind. By assigning a measurement, you are specifying what success for that goal looks like. Logging your progress is a good method for accountability and positive reinforcement.
Stay positive
It’s difficult to make changes in your life, but focusing on the negative side can only discourage you. Don’t worry about how tired you might feel after a workout, or how much stress it may cause to stop smoking. Believe in your goal and keep reminding yourself of the benefits and the positive impact achieving it will have on your life.
Reward yourself
Celebrate your successes by treating yourself to something you enjoy that doesn’t contradict your resolution. If you have been eating better, reward yourself with new fitness gear or by seeing a movie with a friend.
Ask others to hold you accountable
It’s more difficult to fall back into bad habits when others are aware of your goal. Just knowing that a loved one might ask you about your resolution can help you stick to the new goal you’ve set for yourself.
Be prepared for when you mess up or want to quit
There will likely be a day when you break your streak or need to spend money on an unexpected expense and miss your financial goal. Help yourself remember that mistakes are an opportunity for growth as opposed to failure. Reflect on the outcome you want and get back on track.
Keep trying
If you run out of steam, don’t despair. Start again! Recommit yourself for 24 hours. You can do anything for a day. The 24-hour increments will build on each other and before you know it, you’re back on track.
Aiming for self-improvement is never a bad idea. Despite the cliché of New Year’s resolutions, don’t feel deterred from wanting to better yourself and utilizing a fresh new year as your impetus to begin. Just be clear and specific with your intentions, set a road map with smaller benchmarks along the way, and don’t let setbacks derail you. Welcome 2023!
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