Many people start the year wanting to make some positive changes in their lives. These changes are often packaged into what is called “New Year’s resolution,” which rarely lead to a long-term change. However, there are those who reach the end of the year reaping the positive benefits brought about by their new year’s resolution.
Learn some strategies to help you stick to your New Year’s resolution and achieve long-term positive changes in your life.
Don’t Make Too Many Changes Too Soon
A sure way to fail in your new year’s resolution is to incorporate too many changes too soon. Ease yourself slowly in because habits take time to stick. If you’re trying to get in shape by eating right and working out, incorporate one change at a time and give time for the habit to take hold before adopting another lifestyle change. You can start with getting into the groove of a regular workout schedule before venturing into the kitchen to prepare healthy meals.
While you are focused on your exercise regimen, you can hire a home delivery service of prepared food to amplify your efforts without the trouble associated with food preparations while you’re still getting used to being more active. Galley Foods explains that this is a good start toward making a positive change.
Set the Right Goals
To ensure the effectiveness of your New Year’s resolution, it must first be developed further so that it’s not just some lofty but vague goal that can seem unattainable. Develop your resolutions further down into smaller, actionable, measurable, and time-bound goals. If you plan “to get in shape and be healthy” this coming year, change your resolution to “lose 30lbs by the end of the year through a healthy diet and an active lifestyle”. Make sure these goals are logical, practical, and sustainable given your personal life circumstances.
Break Down Ambitious Goals into Smaller Steps
Even if you have developed your resolution and made them attainable, it can still seem too broad to translate and pervade your daily life. Break down your goals into smaller steps that can be easily incorporated in your everyday routine. Using the example above “lose 30lbs by the end of the year through a healthy diet and an active lifestyle”, you can derive manageable steps, such as “work out at least one hour per day, three times per week” or “walk outside for thirty minutes daily.”
Breaking down your resolution even further to actionable daily objectives enables you to incorporate it into your daily schedule; therefore, allowing you to work toward your bigger goal.
A huge percentage of those who resolve to make positive changes in their lives fail within the first few weeks, but you don’t need to belong to that group. Consider your goals and resolutions carefully and develop them so that they can change your life for the better. Remember that even the smallest efforts can make a big impact and determination is key to achieving your goal. Start setting your objectives and prepare for a better year and a better you.
