So it is the start a new year, which means a whole new set of New Years Resolutions, that you mostly are not going to complete. Let’s face it, year after year, you write down your list of resolutions saying this is going to be the year you finally make good on your promises, but you always end up finding something more exciting to occupy your time. The resolutions intended for the present become resolutions for the future. With these 5 easy tricks you will never have to postpone the promises you made to yourself.
- Be Realistic
The worst kinds of resolutions are the ones that are so out of your realm, that they are really just a fantasy. No one can lose ten pounds in one week while staying healthy, but instead, you can set the realistic goal of 1 to 2 pounds a week.
- Be Specific
Everyone wants to make grand New Year’s resolutions like “I’m going to stop eating junk food” or “I’m going to stop spending so much money,” but these resolutions are so ambiguous that there is no way you can succeed. Yes, these grandiose gestures for the new year will make you feel good, momentarily, but they are actually setting you up for failure. On the other hand, resolutions such as “I’m going to stop eating Cheetos” or “I’m not going to buy coffee every morning” can set you on the right path. This simple step of being specific will ensure that you successfully fulfill your resolution.
- Figure Out a Deadline
Every year you make the same mistake of never setting a deadline by saying things like “I’ll start when I have time” or “It’s okay I have the whole year complete my task,” but in reality if you don’t set a timeline you will forget and move on. If your first resolutions is to volunteer at your local homeless shelter, you should make sure to mark the date on which you have planed to volunteer, or else you can easily fall into the pattern of postponing it week by week.
- Focus on the First Before You Start on the Second
In the thrall of the New Years you can easily be overwhelmed by numerous resolutions you have set for yourself. Go down your list one item at a time. Be patient and allow yourself time to finish each resolution. It doesn’t matter how quickly you finish, just that you do. It feels so much better to check off resolution One before you go to number Two.
- It is Okay to Mess Up Once in a While
All New Year’s Resolutions are hard. That means that every so often, you are going to mess up. Messing up doesn’t mean that you have failed, it just means that you’ve hit a bump in the road. New Year’s Resolutions are made to change you for the better. Messing up is okay as long as you keep trying to complete the task you have set for yourself.
Make 2016 the year you finally succeed in resolving your New Year’s Resolutions.
By Amanda Skinner
