How To Stick To Your Resolutions This Year

How to Stick to Your Resolutions this Year

Happy New Year! Does it already feel like that was a long time ago? How is it that we are barely a week into the new year? 

Most of us have at least thought about setting a few intentions or resolutions over the past few weeks.

If you haven’t, I invite you to consider the role of self-doubt, and whether you may be worried you won’t be able to stick with them. I can definitely relate to that.

Either way, it’s not too late. Resolutions are not confined to January 1^st. There’s no time limit on reflecting on what’s working, what’s not, and identifying what you’d like to do differently.

The new year presents a unique opportunity to reflect on the past year, and map out ideals for the next.

Despite all the doom and gloom out there, 2022 can shape up to be whatever kind of year you want.

There’s a way to set yourself up for greater success this time around, and it doesn’t involve intense pressure and definitely not guilt or shame.

We are here to grow and evolve and learn, not to be perfect. 

Having spent years as my own worst critic and as a recovering perfectionist myself, I can assure you, changing habits, fulfilling goals, and improving lifestyles does not happen because you reprimand yourself or force yourself to do something that makes you miserable.

The new year can represent a sort of do-over. A re-do. You might notice greater optimism, confidence, or enthusiasm. We quite literally have more resolve.

But what happens if you don’t? What if after a few weeks (or days), you find yourself defaulting to your own status quo, and can’t even remember what the heck those resolutions were even about?

What if it just feels like too much work?

Resolutions should not be one more item on your endless to-do list, or one more thing that causes stress; there’s enough of that already.

So, what does work? Focus on what brings you joy and pleasure, and what actually feels good. Isn’t that more appealing and sustainable than mustering up more discipline or motivation?

Start with goals and intentions that actually speak to you. Focus on what makes you feel excited and inspired.

Consider goals and intentions that are both practical and aspirational. You get to decide what fits best for you. Do you prefer to keep it simple, dream big or both?

Before you leap ahead, take stock of what you have accomplished, where you have grown and where you are currently. Allow yourself to register your successes and take in what this means to you.

Once you are clear on your vision and what you want to focus on, identify WHY you have a particular goal or intention. For what purpose? What makes this important? To YOU, not to someone else!

For example, why do you want to move your body? Why do you want to save instead of spend? Why do you want to eat more vegetables?

Get to the why underneath the why, the actual purpose or the “for what” as I like to say. Why does it matter and more importantly, why does it matter to you?

We need to feel connected to our why. We need to have a vision of ourselves enacting and manifesting our ideals. We also need to keep it real.

We set ourselves up to fail if our resolutions aren’t incremental, realistic, and sustainable. Prioritize and individualize. This is your life, your needs.

Take consistent, small actions and celebrate each step, each increment of change along the way. Change is not linear; it’s more common to have cycles that ebb and flow.

Most of us need support and accountability, especially for sustained growth and change. I know I would not be where I am without the expert guidance of a coach, providing encouragement and belief in my capacity. It makes a difference when you have support to stay on track, and someone with whom to share successes and troubleshoot roadblocks.

If your best intentions are already starting to fade, you don’t have to give up or wait for a whole new year to start over.

Each day is a new opportunity to do something different. You are in charge of determining how you live and who you want to be.