Youth Incorporated Magazine

The new year is here, and it is officially time to take about our new year’s resolutions. Some people have reached a point where they don’t even make resolutions anymore, considering they end up not sticking to them. However, there is a way to stick to your new year’s resolutions, and part of it is obviously discipline.

Making and keeping resolutions become easier if you do it in a realistic way. The new year does signify a fresh start, a new you, but it is important to remember that habits take time to get used to, and you cannot completely change yourself in one day. So, here are a few ways you can keep realistic new year’s resolutions.

Set small and achievable goals

Keeping resolutions like working out more, spending less money, and not using your phone as much often tend to fall through in a week’s time because one also has to consider their schedule, and whether or not keeping resolutions that require a decent amount of time and effort would be realistic for them. For example, deciding to work out every day of the week when you have early timings for school, college or the office. Perhaps you could start by working out twice a week, and then see how it fits your schedule.

Get specific with your goals

“I’ll save money this year” is a great goal, but it will help if you get a little more specific. How much will you save? Will you save for something in particular? The more detailed and specific you are, the easier it will be to stick to your goals. If you wish to read more, you could set a goal of 10 books for the whole year, instead of just a general idea of reading. 

Check-in with yourself regularly

How are you doing with the resolutions? Reassessing your goals every once in a while will help you stay motivated and in touch with your goals. It’s okay to tweak your goals a little so they fit better into your lifestyle. Write down your progress, and that way you can look at how well you’re doing. 

Celebrate small successes 

If your focus is only on the end result of your goal, it’ll get tough to stay motivated through the process. This is why it is very important to recognize and reward the smaller successes along the way. If you’re running a marathon, don’t save the rewards for the finish line. After each run, you could reward yourself with a good book, new music, or fancy coffee from your favourite coffee shop. 

It’s okay to slip up!
Having a lapse is very common, it is important to assess how you handle it, though. There are those who spend several days feeling guilty over their misstep, and then those who acknowledge the screwup but get right back on track. It is obvious who is more likely to succeed. One misstep, or even a few, as long as you don’t have these setbacks tank your goal for the entire year.