That’s why for some, New Year’s resolutions are the perfect way to kick off a new year, full of optimism and the belief that it’s within their power to break bad habits, adopt healthy ones, and otherwise improve their lives. Meanwhile, others see New Year’s resolutions as yet another way to set themselves up for failure and disappointment when they inevitably ditch the goal the second week of January (or maybe that’s just me?). But in reality, a New Year’s resolution doesn’t need to fit into either of those categories. In fact, neither involves a particularly healthy mindset. Instead of an all-or-nothing approach, there are plenty of other, more effective ways to make and keep your resolutions. Here, the experts say it’s absolutely possible to keep your New Year’s resolutions—here’s how. “While this may sound like common sense, make a resolution that overall has a positive impact on your life and is attainable,” agrees Julian Lagoy, M.D., a psychiatrist with Mindpath Health. “A lot of people can make resolutions that are so far-fetched and unattainable that it’s unreasonable to think they can be achieved in the next year.”
Believe: “The habit doesn’t start on the treadmill or with a closet organizer,” Dr. Metzger explains, “it starts in your mind.” You not only have to believe that you’re capable of starting the task, but able to do it consistently. Predict: “Think about what obstacles may derail you on your resolution path,” she advises. “Don’t have time to go to the gym before work? Get dressed at the gym to save time. Predict your obstacles so you can prepare solutions.” Start: “You believe you can, prepared for possible challenges ahead, and now it’s time to go,” she says. “You don’t need company or to wait until Monday. Start now. Release the doubt, ignore the naysayers, and jump all the way in.”
For example, if your goal is to reduce your consumption of sugary drinks, have plenty of herbal tea, sparkling water, and other non-sugary drinks on hand for a swap-out. The mentality goes from, “I’m not allowed to have X,” to “I get to drink X instead.” “As the psyche learns that there’s a positive replacement in store when an old habit is released, it becomes more receptive to change,” Manly explains. “When the mind sees that a resolution is not a penalty but a real benefit, the resistant monkey mind is far more cooperative.” RELATED: Here’s How to Drink Less Alcohol—But Enjoy It Even More “Feel free to include family and friends in your resolution, such as inviting others to go to the gym with you to add an extra layer of accountability,” he adds. In addition to that, Leaf says that you should offer to listen to their goals as well (if they want to share). “This active communication, as well as encouraging one another, will also help make your goals easier to achieve,” she adds. RELATED: 21 Inspirational New Year Quotes and Captions for a Fresh Start to Your Year “Be grateful for this growth,” she says. “Focus on the positive and reframe the negative. This will build up your mental resilience by building healthy neural networks in the brain, which will help you better achieve your goals in the future.” “This slow, step-wise approach builds self-efficacy, self-esteem, and patience,” Manly says. And, according to Leaf, we need to understand that true change takes time. “Once we accept this,” she says, “we need to be patient with ourselves and give ourselves grace if we’re not quite going at the pace we imagined.” RELATED: 20 Micro (Yet Mighty) Self-Care Challenges That’ll Make Any Day Better
