Three Ways to Stick to Your New Year Resolutions
Every year we feel ready and ambitious to take on some new and old goals. You know the saying, “new year, new me!” The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to reevaluate, reset, and start off strong with new goals. But do you ever feel like you have a hard time keeping the zeal, discipline, and tenacity of sticking to those new year resolutions? Determination, and grit sometimes just aren’t enough to achieve your new year resolutions. Maybe it’s just my personal struggle, but here are some ideas to help you stick to your new year resolutions.
1. Start with Small Chunks
Break those big goals down into smaller goals. Maybe you have a goal of being the next great act, like Beyoncé. A transformation like that does not happen overnight. But you can make smaller goals that are attainable to slowly accomplish those loftier goals. It’s the little things you accomplish that help you stay motivated and get you closer to the end goal.
2. Let’s get visual
Sure, you wrote down your goals and resolutions, but how often do you look at them? Are they kept somewhere obscure where you’re not able to look at them often? Keep your goals/resolutions somewhere you can see often! Tape your goals on your mirror or keep them on your daily planner, where you can read them often. We need visual reminders of the goals we are working on. It keeps us motivated and reminds us of the big picture.
3. Reward Yourself
Our brain reacts to negative and positive reinforcements or costs and incentives. Costs can motivate us to act. Tell a trusted friend a self-imposed consequence that you would hate to have to do if you don’t accomplish your goal. As you work toward your goal, remind yourself of that consequence. However, if you accomplish the goal, don’t impose the consequence and reward yourself. It’s good to pat yourself on the back when you’ve been doing well on your goals. Whether you reward yourself with something tangible or intangible, you can set up a system of recognizing when you accomplish goals. These positive reinforcements keep you motivated, and they remind you that you’re a BOSS for hitting your goals.
