How To Make Healthier Resolutions
A new year means a fresh start for many people. Many make resolutions in hopes that making a formal commitment to their goals will make them more likely to achieve them. Most of us find however, that they are a lot easier to make than keep! That’s why we’ve rounded up some tips on how to create resolutions you are more likely to keep & achieve:
- Set Attainable Goals - When making a significant change in your lifestyle try to think of realistic goals and be specific, start with small steps and then build them. Once you have that goal in mind, think about how you can build habits to stay motivated.
- Plan - Yes, planning is essential to achieve your goals. Research says by positively framing your goals, creating fun activities or finding small ways to incorporate activity into your day can help decrease stress and improve your overall outlook toward working on your resolutions.
- Adopt Slowly - Building habits takes time, you don’t have to do it all at once! Always remember to be kind to yourself and be patient. These may seem like small changes, over time, they'll provide huge benefits to be successful.
- Focus & Commit - Find your why, that’s right! Remind yourself why you are doing this. On tough days, take a few minutes to reflect and reevaluate your strategies. This will help you focus and stay committed during the process, you'll actually help yourself stay on track toward achieving your long-term goals.
- Track Progress - This is a powerful tool to help you stick to your goals, it gives you a realistic picture. This will determine what you need to improve and identify any corrective action which may need to be taken. Remember this is not a race to finish however, putting a deadline for yourself can be a good solution. Deadlines will encourage you to work hard.
- Enjoy & Be Grateful - Remember to enjoy and have fun during the process of achieving your goal because your physical, mental, and emotional health all work together. So after spending time on those resolutions and once you’ve met your goals, write down the things you’re grateful for, this is a good reminder that something you’ve never done before can be fun, too.
The New Year can be an opportunity to improve your lifestyle, so don't give up if you find yourself struggling. Sticking to your resolutions requires dedication and motivation, it becomes easier to achieve if you know your goals. Focusing on small changes can make the process more enjoyable. As a result, you can turn these changes into long-lasting routines.
Resources:
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-keep-your-new-years-resolutions-2795719
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2010/12/making-your-resolutions-stick
