Keeping Your 2011 New Year's Resolution

Popular New Year’s resolutions include: Drink less alcohol, quit smoking, get a better job, join the gym/get into better shape, save money and volunteer.  Did you reflect on this past year and choose something to work on? Resolutions can be a particularly daunting task but many of us feel like we need to make them. Often we don’t keep the resolution which sets us up for failure and disappointment within ourselves. So how can we keep on track with those resolutions? Here’s a couple of suggestions!

Don’t make a resolution until you are ready! Often people make resolutions to make changes in the new year but they aren’t fully committed to making the change. One way to keep a resolution is to only make it when you are completely committed to making that change. This may not be on January 1^st, so make sure to make the resolution at a time when you are committed to keeping it so you don’t set up the cycle for failure.

Commit to someone else to keep you’re resolution. If you have a gym buddy or have support in your efforts to quit smoking you can have someone to commiserate with or who will support you. Also, reaching out to people who have accomplished your goal will be able to give you tips and advice on how to stick with your resolution.

Create a plan but remain flexible. If you plan out how you’d like your resolution process to work it might help you plan for speed bumps in advance. An important part of the planning process though is to stay flexible. If your plan doesn’t go as smoothly as you thought, some might want to give up, but life is full of challenges, so have a back-up plan or alternative options so that you can complete your resolution.

We’re wishing you the best in 2011 and hoping for a healthy, happy and prosperous new year!