Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions

Most people start out the new year by making resolutions to improve their lives in some way. Losing weight, saving money, exercising, volunteering, reading more books and taking up a new hobby are all popular declarations to make. They are not, however, popular pledges to keep.

Studies show that most people who make a New Year’s Resolution dump it by January 19, no matter what it is. Experts will tell you it’s not making the decision to improve that matters. It’s making and sticking to the step-by-step plan on how you’ll keep that promise to yourself.

One way to do that is by getting whatever help you need to accomplish your goals. Hire a trainer or a nutritionist, join a book club or research and order the private label supplement that will help you achieve your health goals.

You’re Worth It

One way we trick ourselves into not making these beneficial changes in our lives is by failing to believe in our own worth. We listen to whatever it is that feeds us a negative view of ourselves and let that influence be the only voice to which we pay attention.

Most of us shouldn’t listen. We need to do a better job of heeding positive messages about our own self-worth. This plays out in real-time self-sabotage when we go to fulfill our resolutions.

We pick a book we think we should read instead of one we want to read. We fail to invest in the custom supplements that will help us be healthier. We pick a volunteer project with another volunteer we secretly don’t like which discourages us from going. We need to do a better job at breaking the self-sabotage cycle and instead begin to believe in ourselves.

Practice Makes Perfect

Now, about that step-by-step plan you’ll need to accomplish your goals. First, set your goal. It’s important to know where you want to go. Then, visualize what you’ll need to do to accomplish your goal. Are you trying to lose fifteen pounds? Do you think you’ve tried everything? Even those health supplements you didn’t order before?

Also, take a look at the rest of your typical day. Start by tracking what you’re doing now. Be honest. Write down, or track by app, what you’re really eating and how much you’re really exercising.

Then strategize about where you can improve. Cut carbohydrates by eliminating cereals at breakfast and substituting them with lean proteins and vegetables. Choose nutrient-dense lunch options to either eat out or bring with you to work.

Conquer the mid-afternoon hunger vortex you normally experience by keeping fruits and whole-grain snack options handy. Create a healthy, tasty dinner menu by supplementing your normal menus with some ideas from health blogs, magazines or meal kits shipped directly to you.

Creating Better Habits

You need to stick with it, too. Forging a new habit in your life isn’t a short-term project. Studies have shown you have to stop doing the unhealthy habit for 40 straight days before you can successfully say you’re beating it. You can’t leave a void, though. If you’re quitting smoking, you have to replace the smoking habit with something else or you will fall right back into the habit.

Instead of taking a smoke break, take a gum break. Pop a stick of gum in and walk around your building or job site. Take the same time you used to take to smoke and enjoy the scenery or talk to someone new.

Buddy Up

Finding someone with whom to undertake the journey towards this new, healthier you is a smart move. You can be each other’s accountability partner, cheerleader and sounding board. You’re more likely to succeed that way.

No matter what time of year you start, these are ideas that can help you be the best version of yourself.