How To Make (And Keep) New Years Resolutions

Create a measurable goal:

Don’t create a vague resolution, make specifics!! Having a measurable goal will create a clear target to aim for and keep you from getting lost. Whether your goals are, “I want to go to the gym 4 times per week,” or “save $1,000 a month”, setting clear targets will help you reach your resolutions with ease.

Limit your resolutions:

Setting yourself numerous resolutions can be overwhelming and quite frankly may fail. Focus on one or two goals at a time and focus your energies on them rather than among a number of different objectives. Taking on too many goals at once can be difficult especially when establishing new behavioural patters. Less goals = more energy = more achievable!

Plan out obstacles:

There’s always going to be temptations and obstacles that can easily detail you from your resolution. You’ll need to plan out and identify your obstacles before you identify your steps to take action – consider how you’ll navigate these challenges and how you can overcome then. It may be unexpected finances you’ll need to cover, invitations to dinner that could blow your diet, or budget. Identify and be prepared!

Identify your steps to take action:

Pick your resolution wisely and don’t plan last minute, it’ll result in stressing yourself out and cause you to fail your resolution in the early weeks of the year. Picking your resolution and extensively planning are all essential to achieve any goal. Brainstorm how you will tackle changes, what steps you’ll need to take, why and how you want to do it – establishing these will keep you on track. You may quickly find yourself giving up without any planning as you may be set back by obstacles or resistance. For example, if you’re planning on saving $1,000 a week; how will you budget, will you be saving from your income or loose change, will that money you’ve saved be used for emergencies or is it strictly off limits? Your steps and plan need to answer any obstacles faced to ensure you stick to your resolution and overcome any resistance.

Set yourself up for success:

Trust. The. Process. We cannot stress this enough! Results will not come to you overnight, which is why you need to set yourself up for success to achieve your resolution. You will need to prepare yourself for dips in your motivation, you may feel motivated in the first few weeks but after a few weeks your motivation will naturally wane. Make bad habits inconvenient and good habits convenient – set yourself up for success well in advance. Hide your sweets, restrict access to your bank account, keep your gym gear packed and ready… when things are easy you will succeed!

Get support:

Yes yes you’ve already heard this advice over a million times, but that’s because it actually works! Having a solid support system not only helps you stay motivated but be accountable. Whether it be a career professional, like-minded friend or loved one – invite them on your journey to achieving your goal.

Learn from your mistakes:

Mistakes are part of the process, they’re natural, they occur, it happens. Too often people think mistakes mean you’re destined to fail but this is not the case! Flip your mindset, mistakes = learning curves. Your mistakes can turn into opportunities for you to grow stronger, become better, and be disciplined.

Track your progress:

It’s important to find a way to track your progress to know if you’re headed in the right direction. Whether you use an app, calendar, calculator, chart, spreadsheet… whatever it is – visualise your progress! When you can visually see your progress and how well you’re doing, it can remind you how far you’ve come and motivate you to keep going. Sometimes the going gets a little tough, but best we believe you determination is tougher!

Commit to making 2022 the year that your resolution is going to stick, we believe in you, Fairies!