{"id":14427,"date":"2019-02-05T13:13:28","date_gmt":"2019-02-05T21:13:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lifeandhealth.wordifysites.com\/?p=14427"},"modified":"2022-02-02T07:01:34","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T15:01:34","slug":"why-you-shouldnt-make-new-years-resolutions-and-what-to-do-if-you-did","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/lifestyle\/why-you-shouldnt-make-new-years-resolutions-and-what-to-do-if-you-did\/1314427.html","title":{"rendered":"Why You Shouldn\u2019t Make New Year’s Resolutions (And What To Do If You Did)"},"content":{"rendered":"

What was your New Year\u2019s resolution?<\/p>\n

Perhaps it was to spend less money.
\nSpend more time with family.
\nBe healthier and lose weight\u2026and keep it off.<\/p>\n

According to research done by Strava, January 12 was D-day or the fateful day of New Year\u2019s resolutions, for most people, that is. The fact is, 80% of New Year\u2019s resolutions fail by February1<\/sup> with just about eight percent of people achieving their New Year\u2019s goals2<\/sup> through the year.<\/p>\n

Well, January 12 has passed and we\u2019re already well into February. How are you doing?<\/p>\n

\u201cInsanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.\u201d – Albert Einstein<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

How Can You Stay on Track?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Depending on what goal(s) you chose for the New Year, you\u2019ll need to take the necessary actions accordingly.<\/p>\n

Perhaps you wanted to learn a new skill. Taking an online course is a good idea step to take because if you enroll into an online course, you\u2019ve already dedicated time and possibly money into the course. This can keep you accountable and make you more likely to complete what you\u2019ve started.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Maybe your goal is health-related. Maybe you want to eat healthier, lose weight, and stay fit. If so, you might consider hiring a health coach, a personal trainer, or have friends and colleagues join you in your health journey so you can keep each other accountable.<\/p>\n

Maybe you want to take charge of your finances and spend less. There is a multitude of mobile apps to help you keep track of your spending and savings. Try Credit Karma<\/a> or Mint<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n

Regardless of your goal, you need to focus on the incremental steps it takes to get there. Take your journey one day at a time, as trying to do everything at once will leave you burnt out. Share your goals with those who are willing to keep you accountable and even celebrate your wins with you. If you\u2019re so inclined, try joining groups or memberships related to the goal you want to achieve.<\/p>\n

Why are people so drawn to making goals at the beginning of the year? It is because we see day one of month one as a fresh start. It\u2019s tempting to make all kinds of promises on a day like January 1. But how can we the guilt that comes with failing such good intentions?<\/p>\n

Ask Yourself: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and Maybe How?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Who is the change for?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Your goal is likely very personal to you but is there anyone else it\u2019ll affect in a positive way, like your spouse, children, other family members, friends, co-workers, or even your boss? What we do affects those around us. When we\u2019re aware of who our goals will affect, it can motivate us more to stay focused and take hold of opportunities.<\/p>\n

Why are you making this change?<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>If your motivation lies within seeking others\u2019 approval or fitting in, chances are it will fade. You need to believe in it yourself.<\/p>\n

What’s your plan?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Changes don\u2019t come about without a specific plan to execute. It\u2019s like setting out for a vacation, but without booking any tickets, or travel and accommodations.<\/p>\n

Where is your support system?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Family members, friends, mentors\u2026 they are all key to helping you reach your goal. When the going gets tough (which it will), you\u2019ll need tough supporters by your side.<\/p>\n

How will you celebrate your victories?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Share your wins with your supporters, reflect on what you have achieved, or take a rest day. Whatever it may be, acknowledge your win and use it to fuel you forward on the path you started!<\/p>\n

When will you begin?<\/em> <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Depending on the nature of your goal, you may have a desired or necessary deadline. Writing down your game plan and setting some concrete dates will help keep you working on your goal consistently<\/p>\n

It\u2019s too late, January 1 and 12 have passed!<\/em> <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t forget that January 1 is just a date on the calendar. (So is January 12.) You have a chance at a fresh start every morning that you wake up. You can even have a fresh start in the middle of your day! Remind yourself of this whenever you feel as though you\u2019re wavering. Resist the urge to pity yourself<\/a>. You don\u2019t need to wait until January 1 to try again.<\/p>\n

It is almost as if the New Year resembles a magical time that will automatically incorporate the changes you want to see. It\u2019s a romantic idea but the fact remains the same: action<\/em> is what brings about change. Once the New Year euphoria fades, you\u2019ll need something more sustainable to keep you going.<\/p>\n

With that being said, what if your New Year\u2019s resolution was to not make one at all?<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>To be clear, I\u2019m not against setting goals; however, with failed resolutions come unrealistic expectations. Change doesn\u2019t happen overnight. By seeking to make changes all at once, you\u2019ll feel overburdened and pressured. Instead, you should focus on making a consistent, persistent effort.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to write down your goals because they become more concrete. You can even tape your written goals to your bathroom mirror, fridge, or somewhere easily visible in your room.<\/p>\n

What if you already made a New Year\u2019s resolution?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s completely fine! Take time to re-evaluate where you stand with your goals, and use the tips mentioned in this article to help keep you going. Resolutions and goals aren\u2019t bad things to have; it\u2019s more so that the mindset associated with it that affects your ability to achieve it.<\/p>\n

What if you can\u2019t kick a bad habit, one that you\u2019d hoped would be gone by now?<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

Studies show that it takes approximately 66 days to make a habit an automatic one. Start by making daily, weekly, and monthly goals. There is an importance in making small changes that lead to the big ones. Remember, if you made goals on January 1, your deadline is not <\/em>January 1, next year. Think of it as a consistent journey, not a destination.<\/p>\n

Given all these steps, I personally prefer to take this into prayer with God. When I feel overwhelmed, I can rest assured that God is carrying my burdens.<\/p>\n

\n

(1) https:\/\/health.usnews.com\/health-news\/blogs\/eat-run\/articles\/2015-12-29\/why-80-percent-of-new-years-resolutions-fail<\/a><\/p>\n

(2) https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/dandiamond\/2013\/01\/01\/just-8-of-people-achieve-their-new-years-resolutions-heres-how-they-did-it\/#26a39812596b<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What was your New Year\u2019s resolution? Perhaps it was to spend less money. Spend more time with family. Be healthier and lose weight\u2026and keep it off. According to research done by Strava, January 12 was D-day or the fateful day of New Year\u2019s resolutions, for most people, that is. The fact is, 80% of New Year\u2019s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2237,"featured_media":14428,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,10,2,561],"tags":[284,218,586],"thb-sponsors":[],"yst_prominent_words":[1277,967,1295,1262,1224,1243,987,1248,1251,1211,1236,1267,1218,904,1258,1282,1288,867,1230,911],"class_list":["post-14427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-emotional-health","category-healthy-habits","category-lifestyle","category-mindfulness","tag-goals","tag-healthy-habits","tag-resolutions","post_format-post-format-image"],"acf":[],"views":782,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2237"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14427"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21878,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14427\/revisions\/21878"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14427"},{"taxonomy":"thb-sponsors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/thb-sponsors?post=14427"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=14427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}