How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

It’s the New Year and once again you’ve made your New Year’s Resolutions. This year is going to be different, you promise yourself. This year, you’re actually going to keep your resolutions. You’re all gung-ho at the beginning. With your gym pass in hand and your workout buddy by your side, you’re going to lose those 20 pounds once and for all. For the first week, everything is going great. But then something comes up and you can’t make it to the gym one day. Before you know it, you’ve stopped going and abandoned your resolution before the end of the month.

Unfortunately, this scenario isn’t uncommon. All too many people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions before they’ve even had a chance to start. If you’re really serious about making a change in your life, then you have to do more than make empty promises. You need to come up with a plan that will guarantee you get the results you want. Since everybody’s resolutions are different, your plan will be unique to you. However, there are certain steps that everybody can follow in order to meet their goals. If you’re serious about keeping your New Year’s Resolution, then it’s time you started planning and got yourself motivated to change.

1. Make an attainable goal. It’s been said time and time again- don’t shoot too high, keep your goals within your reach. But the advice holds true. If you set a goal that’s too far out of your reach, it’s too easy to get frustrated and give up. Instead, set a goal you know you’ll be able to achieve. And if you reach your goal ahead of schedule, even better. You can always set more goals once you’ve reached your first one.

2. Create Milestones along the way. No matter what your goal is, it’s always easier to achieve when you divide it into smaller pieces. Losing 20 pounds sounds daunting, but losing 2 pounds is easy. If you set your goal to lose 2 pounds every week, you’ll have a reason to celebrate at the end of every week. That way you feel like you’re accomplishing something all the time, instead of waiting for a big pay off at the end.

3. Give yourself small rewards along the way. No matter what your goals are, it’s always easier to achieve them when you’re rewarded for your progress. Break your major goal into smaller goals and then think of a small reward for yourself after you accomplish it. If, for example, your goal is to run a marathon, you’re smaller goal might be to run an extra mile every two weeks until you’ve reached 26 miles. In that case, reward yourself every time you’ve run that extra mile. Go to your favorite smoothie shop and treat yourself to a nice organic fruit smoothie. It’s a well deserved treat AND it keeps you healthy so you’re not sabotaging your goal.

4. Enlist the help of a friend. Everything is more fun when you have a friend around, and New Year’s Resolutions are no exception. Choose a friend that has the same goals as you and work together on achieving them. Not only will it be more fun, but you’ll also have another person to motivate you. When you want to slip, your trusty friend will be there to help you up. But it goes the other way around too. When your friend starts sliding off her New Year’s Resolution, you’ll be there to help her back on her feet. And by doing that, you’ll strengthen your commitment to yourself.

5. Limit your Resolutions. Sure there are several things you could change to make your life better. But unless you’re Superman you’re probably not going to stick to them. Choose the one goal that is the most important to you and make that your priority. Limit yourself to only ONE goal. This way the task won’t seem so daunting and it will be much more attainable.

6. Be flexible. No, you don’t have to touch your head to your toes (unless of course, that happens to be your goal). It’s important to remember that things change. You’re not the same person you were a year ago and you won’t be the same 6 months from now. If you’ve reached your goal early, or if after giving it an honest try you realize you set your goal too high, it’s okay to adjust your goals. It’s not giving up, it’s being realistic. Reassess your goals every month and see how you’re doing. If you’re right on track, then keep up the good work. If you’re lagging behind, either readjust your goals or come up with a plan to catch up. But don’t get complacent if you find yourself ahead of the game- keep plugging away because you never know when you’re going to fall behind and it’s always nice to have a little cushion.

7. Celebrate at the end. When you’ve finally reached your goal, have a celebration. You did it, and you should be proud of yourself and your accomplishments. Treat yourself to something nice, something you’ve always wanted or something you want to indulge in. If you’re working with a friend, arrange to give each other gifts when you reach your goals. Send your friend a surprise gift basket at the office or treat her to a morning at the spa. Whatever you do, make sure it’s something special that you will only get as a reward for accomplishing your goal.