“Without examining where we are resistant to change … the cycle of resolve, relapse, repeat continues year after year.” – Britt Frank
As humans, many of us are wired to set goals and work on our schedules. By tradition, millions of people around the world decide to change their goals on January 1st, the New Year. This essentially symbolizes a cleanse; people quit smoking/drinking, set a workout routine to lose weight, attempt to read more books, and some hope to become more organized. However, we often struggle when sticking to goals. Jotting them down is easier said than done. One study found that about 64% of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions within a month. It’s practically part of the tradition.
Arguably, January to March is truly the worst time of the entire year. Everyone is broke from the holidays, people drag themselves back to work/school, and the seasonal depression hits hard. So, if you’re anything like me, you find yourself scrolling endlessly through the media looking at people completing their goals while you haven’t even decided to start yours. So what will help make this year different?
Be Reasonable
Setting up these resolutions may not always be ideal and planned according to how you want the outcome to be. Expect yourself to fail at times, and know that results might be slow-moving depending on the type of person you are, while also understanding that this is natural and you’re a normal person. We all make mistakes, but that should not stop you from succeeding.
Create Timelines
Your timeline and goals should not be compared to anyone else’s as we are all different. Comparing yourself to others will set you back more. Focusing on yourself to be more productive will help make small steps toward the goals you want instead of extreme expectations you feel like you may need to follow.
Get Flexible
We are prone to failing and making mistakes. Offering yourself flexibility and giving yourself time to restart is not bad. If you don’t do well this month, try again next month! Instead of trying to cram everything together, set goals and slowly push yourself to see what you can accomplish.
The new year does not have to be a brand new you. I think resolutions are often frowned upon due to the constant failure of following them. However, if you allow yourself to take the time to do something fun and adventurous, you can easily carry on the entire year with these goals you may have in mind. If you find yourself struggling and putting pressure on yourself, it may be time to reset and go back to the drawing board. Either way, none of this should be seen as a race. We’re all just trying to figure things out!
