Already finding yourself slipping away from that resolution you made at the beginning of the year? Don’t worry; you’re not alone. By the time February rolls around, only about 60 percent of people are still working toward their New Year’s resolution.
Why are people ditching their resolutions so early on? There is a good chance their goals were not realistic or maintainable. Setting manageable goals is important when making and, more importantly, maintaining a New Year’s resolution because you do not want to set yourself up for disappointment.
Whether you are still going strong or falling off of the resolution path, here are a few tips to help you maintain your resolutions.
- Be realistic. If you set attainable goals from the beginning, you are more likely to maintain and achieve them. Saying you are never going to have caffeine again is unrealistic. Start smaller and set the goal of only having coffee once a week. If you realize now that your goals might be unobtainable, it is never too late to adjust!
- Track your progress. Instead of looking at how far you still have to go, take a minute and realize how far you have come. Reward yourself for short-term accomplishments. If your ultimate goal is to lose 25 lbs., reward yourself for every 5 lbs. you have lost. This will keep you on track and motivated long-term.
- Don’t get down on yourself. Achieving goals usually does not happen overnight. It takes time and beating yourself up will not do any good. It takes about 21 days for a new activity to become a habit and six months for it to become part of your personality. Goals come with time and accepting that will put you at peace and keep you on track with your goal.
- Accountability. Talking about your resolution with family and friends will give you a support system that is extremely beneficial for bettering yourself.
With all of this being said, it is up to you to keep on track with your resolution! Remember why you started and keep up with those New Year’s goals.
