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How to Set and Succeed With Your New Year's Resolutions This Year |
 About 70 percent of the population of the United States has resolved to make a resolution this year, a promise to take charge of their own lives and change them for the better. Fewer than 10 percent of these people actually follow through on their resolutions, but nobody ever stops to think that that could be them. Many people out there think they were rather clever with their New Year's resolutions and that they are really going to stick to their guns this year. Chances are that your new year's resolutions fall into at least some of the same categories as the other millions upon millions of American citizens out there who have decided to make resolutions this year. According to the United States Census Bureau, the most common New Year's resolutions are as follows:
1. Loose Weight
2. Save More Money
3. Get in Better Shape (Go to the Gym)
4. Stop Smoking Cigarettes
5. Reduce the Amount of Stress in Life
6. Volunteer and Help in the Community
Do any of these sound familiar to you? Probably so, and that is okay. These are all great New Year's resolutions and for those out there who manage to keep their resolutions, such resolutions could make a huge difference in the quality of your life and the quality of life for your loved ones. The only trouble with New Year's resolutions is actually keeping them, but luckily we have a few tips for helping you to keep your New Year's resolution. Set another New Year's resolution for yourself this year; to keep your list of resolutions and follow through on them.
Tips for Keeping Your Resolution This Year
You don't have to be one of the 60 percent of American self-promisers that never follow through. With a little help, you can be one of those lucky people that actually keep their resolutions that they make for the New Year, and it isn’t too difficult to do either. Usually, the problem lies with forgetting yourself, and forgetting all about your New Year's resolution. We aim to stop that from happening. Here are some tips to get you started on the right track:
Write Them Down
It is a known fact that when you write something down, you remember it better. Why do you think they had you take notes in school? Make a list of your New Year's resolutions and note down how you plan on accomplishing them—soon. If you want to get in better shape, note down that you plan on going to the gym, taking a fitness class or whatever it is that you plan to do to make that happen. If you have more than one resolution, write them all down and make notes on how you expect to make them happen for you.
Tell Others
Telling others is one of the best steps that you can take towards keeping your New Year's resolution. It takes you beyond your normal realm into the realm of REALITY, where this is more than something that you talked about doing and has transformed it into something that you will do. When you tell other people you can get a base of support for your resolution and get other people to care about what your goals are, so you have more than yourself.
Journal It
Journaling is one of the best ways to keep track of a goal that you have and remain accountable for it. Get a journal just for your New Year's resolutions and write them down on the first page. Then, write down as often as you can how your day went and how you went at achieving your goal for that year. Did you go to the gym today? Did you skip the new shoes and make a deposit in your savings account? Did you turn down a project that would normally put too much on your plate? Did you fail today at your goal for some reason? Writing these things down will help you to sort them out, and having to 'tell on yourself' might help you remain that much more accountable in the end.
Get a Support Group
Having a goal support group is another way of helping yourself to remain accountable for your New Year's resolution this year. Surely you have friends that would also like to de-stress, lose weight, or save more money. Have lunch twice a month and encourage each other, check in on each other, and provide support. Knowing that you have people in your corner with similar goals that you kind of have to answer to can really help to move your New Year's resolution along and make it that much more real to you, because other people are counting on you now—not just yourself. If you fail at your goal you won't be the only one who knows or cares about it. Having a New Year roll around is a great excuse to make some much needed change in your life, but if you don't watch yourself it can be just another time for excuses. If you don't want to have to deal with the New Years' resolution drama this year, take a few of these tips and use them to make your goal happen for you. You can improve your own life; you started by making a resolution—now all you have to do is follow through!
(c) 2008 The Resources Center. Educational outreach of Kamaron Institute |
