It’s that time of year again where we say to ourselves, “yeah, I didn’t do this last year, but I’m going to do it this year. This is the year that will be different.”  So we make our resolutions and for the most part, they’re abandoned before February. To combat that, here are some suggestions to make sure your new year’s resolution sticks.

1. Keep it small. Changing too much too quickly is never going to work. Start off with a small change and build on it as the year goes. For example, don’t say you’re going to do an hour of cross fit every day if you haven’t been working out at all. Start small and do ten minutes of something more manageable, then build.
2. Don’t force yourself into a resolution that you have no desire to do. Sure it may sound good to say that you’re going to read more this year, but if reading is not your thing and you abhor it, don’t put pressure on yourself to do it. Instead, pick something that you know you could enjoy or a small action like picking up litter when you see it.
3. If you’re stumped, pick another day. If you just can’t come up with a good resolution for you right now or this isn’t a good time to implement change in your life, there is no pressure to commit to a resolution now. Instead pick another day for your “new year” and go from there. Maybe it’s the first day of summer vacation, your birthday, or your favorite holiday.
4. You never NEED to have one. In January you look around and see people everywhere trying to maintain their resolutions but sometimes it’s best not to have one. If you can’t find anything that you want to commit to, don’t.
5. Do something that will help others. While getting fit is a great resolution, sometimes it’s better to pick something that will benefit others like trying to do more random acts of kindness. It will make you feel better about yourself and it’s something that is super easy to work into your day to day life. Not only will they make you feel good, but they’ll help to brighten someone else’s day.
6. Figure out what motivates you. If working in a group is your style, then maybe come up with a group resolution or find some friends and push each other to maintain your individual resolutions. If you’re better at doing things on your own then you do what works for you in terms of motivation. A huge part of keeping up your resolution all year is staying motivated.
7. Have fun. Your resolution should be something that is improving your life, no matter how big or how small, and if you aren’t having fun or enjoying it, then it isn’t doing its job.

photo creds to https://texarkanaemergencycenter.com/fireworks-common-injuries/