How to: keep New Year’s resolutions

Most New Year’s resolutions inevitably fail. Here is a step by step guide on how to tweak your 2018 resolutions in order to keep them.

Carmela Cohen Suarez, Entertainment Editor|February 11, 2018

Photo used with permission from Creative Commons

For many, a typical New Year’s resolution may include exercising regularly to get fit.

Look back:

The first step to following through with your resolution is ensuring it’s something you genuinely want to do. Look back at why you set your resolution in the first place and ask yourself if you still want to keep it. If you are like me, you find yourself drawing a blank when you ask yourself why you made your resolution. This could mean the resolution needs a change.

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Look back at why you set your resolution in the first place and ask yourself if you still want to keep it

— Carmela Cohen Suarez

Get motivated:

Figure out your motivation and embrace it. If you are not motivated, you won’t be able to follow through with anything. Embrace whatever it is that motivates you and use it as a method to push yourself towards the resolution. Tip: let others know about your goal and thus make it a public commitment. If you can’t keep yourself motivated or hold yourself accountable, maybe someone else can.

Tweak it:

Make your resolution suit your needs. No two people are exactly alike, therefore, no two goals can be the same. Setting steps that benefit you personally is the easiest way to make a resolution more attainable. Start small- don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you start off too big, it is much harder to stay on top of things, especially if there are other commitments in your life. It is much easier to give up on your resolution if it does not fit your current schedule. Priorities change over time, if your resolution ceases to be a priority, then it’s time for a change. Remember, you can always shoot higher once good habits have already been formed.

Set a schedule:

I find it much easier to follow through with a goal if I write it down for myself. Writing out a schedule will help you internalize your resolution and keep your eye on the long term.

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Staying on top of your goals is easier if there is someone else with similar goals there to provide motivation.

— Carmela Cohen Suarez

Prevent procrastination– keep yourself accountable:

Don’t allow yourself to lose track of time. Keep focused on long term. If you have a plan for yourself, then make sure you follow through. You will feel infinitely better about yourself if you fulfill your daily exercise or studying earlier on in the day. For more tips on how to keep from procrastinating check out this article.

Use the buddy system:

Staying on top of your goals is a hundred times easier if there is someone else with similar goals there to provide motivation. Let’s be honest, most people are, by nature, competitive. For example, having a friend to run with keeps you motivated and gives you incentive to run faster or work harder. Finding others with passions that are similar to yours can go a long way in terms of sticking with new habits.

Be flexible:

Setbacks are completely normal and should be anticipated and accepted. Don’t let a slip up ruin your resolution. Instead of letting mistakes slow you down, use them as your motivation to do better. If you feel like giving up, check why you wanted to complete your resolution in the first place. Once you reflect, make small changes to fit your life. Make accommodations for yourself.

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The best part about starting small is that there is always space to grow once the first goal has been met.

— Carmela Cohen Suarez

Keep setting goals for yourself:

Once you have finally settled into a good habit, experiment with something new. Broaden your horizons! Try to push yourself by setting your sights a little higher. The best part about starting small is that there is always space to grow once the first goal has been met.