New Year’s resolutions are a long standing tradition in the United States. Often, our resolutions are big and extreme. We think, “It’s a new year, go big or go home!” What we don’t realize is we’re setting ourselves up for failure. According to a commonly cited statistic, only 8% of people actually achieve their New Year’s goals. Choosing our goals more carefully can help us stay on track and give us a greater chance for success. Here are some key things to keep in mind when choosing your resolutions.
Keeping your goals simple may be less exciting, but it makes them much more attainable. Instead of setting one giant goal, set a few smaller goals throughout the year. Losing weight is a big and complicated goal to achieve. Instead, decide to do 30 minutes of cardio, twice a week. This smaller goal is simple, easy to follow, and much more feasible. In the end, it will help you to achieve the big overall goal of losing weight.
Be specific about your goals. If you want to take better care of yourself this year, set some specific goals to help you get there. For example, schedule yourself a massage once a month. Having a specific activity and time scheduled for self-care makes your goal more tangible. It also makes it harder for you put it off.
Sharing your list of resolutions can really help you achieve your goals. Telling others makes you more accountable because you’re not the only one checking up on your accomplishments. Tell your friends about your goals, share them on social media, or post them on your blog. Sharing will also help keep you motivated.
Best of luck with your own New Year’s resolutions!
LMT, Pilates Instructor
and Founder of Inertia6
Rachael has a passion for movement and her athletic training and experience give her body-awareness and insight.
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