10 Tips To Help You Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

As the confetti settles and a new calendar page turns, millions of people across the world endeavor to turn New Year’s resolutions into New Year’s reality. But as most of us know, the motivating effects of our collective annual “fresh start” tend to fade rather quickly. One study in particular showed that while 52% of participants were confident of success on January 1st, only 12% of people were ultimately able to achieve their goals by year’s end.

But don’t give up hope! Not all resolutions are created equal, and there are several proven strategies that can help keep you on track. So, what can you do to increase your odds of achieving your New Year’s resolution? Very Well Mind came out with an excellent list of tips and tricks to put you in the best position to succeed in 2024 and beyond:

Choose a Specific Goal: Instead of selecting an ambiguous goal, focus on something more specific that you can realistically reach.

Limit Your Resolutions: Focus on one goal at a time, and don’t spread yourself too thin trying to do too many things.

Put Time into Planning: Don’t wait until the last minute to choose your goal. Write down your goal and make a list of things you might do to achieve that goal. A detailed plan can take you a long way.

Start with Small Steps: Take smaller steps to reach a bigger goal. For example, instead of overdoing it at the gym, slowly start planning out how many times a week you can exercise and increase over time.

Avoid Repeating Past Failures: Don’t make the same exact resolution every single year. Consider altering your resolution slightly to make it more feasible.

Remember that Change is a Process: Be patient with yourself. Understand that it may take longer to reach certain goals.

Get Support: Having a solid support system can make a difference. Tell your friends and family your goals and explain to them how they can be helpful to you.

Renew Your Motivation: When you face moments of discouragement, finding sources of inspiration can keep you going when times get tough.

Keep Working on Your Goals: Continue to reevaluate strategies to reach your goals. Develop a new plan if you need to.

Learn and Adapt: Learn from your mistakes. Keep track of what is and isn’t working in a journal. Your path toward your goal isn’t always linear!

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