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It’s a New Year and time for the annual resolutions which, if things proceed like most years, within a week we are regretting mentioning. Our plans of “I will start to do this, I will learn that or I will change the other” become redundant ideas that are lost in the daily activities of everyday life and we continue on as before.
But how do you actually turn those big ideas into actions or good new habits that will last beyond January and maybe for the rest of your life? Here are four steps that can help you keep your resolutions and enjoy the changes that they can bring to your life.
- Make goals that mean something to you
Don’t focus on the end result – losing x number of kilos or writing a book – focus on what achieving this goal means to you and how it reflects on who you are as a person. Focus on the reward or happiness it will bring you, rather than solely achieving the outcome. Will you have more energy? Will you have told the story that has been bubbling in your mind for years? By thinking about how something will matter to you, it will be more internally motivating than a cold objective.
- Turn something that you feel you Should do into something you Want to do
Don’t be pressurised into picking a resolution just because everyone is doing it or select a process because you have read that this is the best way to achieve your goal. You may be happy with your weight, whatever it is, but still want to get fitter. You may hate the gym but love the outdoors, so go for a daily walk or gather friends together for a bike ride. If you enjoy the form of action that you have selected, or at least don’t dread it, then you are more likely to keep up with it.
- Take small steps
Don’t take on too many different resolutions or make the ones you have too huge. Otherwise you will be swamped by the sheer scale of the task and will be more likely to give up before you have even begun. Don’t expect to achieve everything on day one or change a lifetime habit overnight. Break the goal down into smaller, more manageable steps so that you can see and feel progress. Instead of cutting out all unhealthy food from your diet, look at when you consume it and find one or two occasions that you can select a healthier alternative. Then gradually change more occasions until suddenly you will find you are eating a much healthier diet overall.
- Don’t give up if you falter
Turning bad habits into good ones isn’t easy and achieving a major life change will take time. It is likely that you will falter along the way from time to time but don’t let yourself become wracked by guilt about your failure. Focus on the steps you have achieved already and congratulate yourself on those – we change more from a position of positivity and growth than from shame and self-loathing. Give yourself permission to fail occasionally and take the time to re-focus on why you wanted to take on this resolution in the first place.
Good luck with your resolutions and focus on being happy in 2021!
