How to make your New Year’s Resolutions work

Are you looking for ways to make your New Year’s resolutions stick? Research shows that even though most people start the year with the best intentions and are motivated to make positive changes, motivation tends to fade by February.

A University of Scranton study showed that people are more likely to keep their resolutions up one week into January. However, this drops to 55% after one month and to 43% after two months. It is 40% after six months. In the follow-up report, only 19% of participants could say that they had made their NY resolution a real life change.

How do you become one of them? Experts agree that it is important to keep things simple and manageable. The experts agree that it is possible to learn new fitness techniques, self-help books and other top trends in fitness, or how to feel more confident in the new Year. We talk to a variety of life coaches, psychologists, personal trainers and wellness experts to find out what it takes to keep a resolution for the New Year.

WHY DO MOST NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FAIL?

Experts say that New Year’s resolutions are often a failure because they have unrealistic goals. Anna Williamson, a counselor, coach and master NLP practitioner, says that many people set unrealistic goals and try to make drastic changes overnight.

Williamson, the founder of The Relationship Place, a relationship coaching platform that helps couples and individuals with their relationships, says «The beginning of the year can be a difficult time. There is usually low mood and motivation due financial reasons and the colder weather than other months.» «The more difficult it is to implement change, then the more difficult it will be.»

Rachel Sacerdoti, a personal trainer, agrees. She explains that people often fail to achieve their resolutions because they are too ambitious or too focused on their fitness goals. It is difficult to change a long-standing routine or habit. This requires planning, understanding your psychology and being willing to make changes.

This is the information you need to learn if you want to make a change in 2023 and have a lasting resolution.

HOW TO MAKE NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

1. CREATE AN ACTION PLAN

It’s time for us to get serious. It’s time for you to plan if you want to make New Years resolutions that will last. Jade Thomas, a registered psychotherapist from Private Therapy Clinic, says that this makes it seem easier to achieve your goals.

Write a schedule detailing how you will implement your resolutions into your daily life to help you set your plan. You can write this in a journal, which is a great productivity planner, or on a piece paper that you keep with you.

Thomas says that it’s important to establish ways to monitor your progress throughout the year, either weekly or monthly. «We tend to make New Year’s resolutions, then forget about them until next New Year’s Eve. But if you regularly check in on your progress, your chances of reaching your goals and resolutions will increase.»

2. THINK ABOUT HOW YOUR RESOLUTION WILL IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE

It’s important to assess whether the resolution is feasible for you and your life. Some people may have the time and resources to completely overhaul their sleep habits or make sure they exercise at the right time every day. Others might not. It is always best to focus on the achievable. Ally Fekaiki, a wellness expert who specializes in workplace wellbeing and founder and CEO at Juno, says that this will help you move forward.

She says, «It’s not a good idea to make New Year’s Resolutions if it doesn’t take into account how you will get there.» This is especially important for people who work every day. This might be a matter of being more disciplined about our work-life balance. It is easy to lose time when working remotely and work late at night or weekends. It can be helpful to be more disciplined about your work hours.

3. DO NOT MAKE TOO MANY RESOLUTIONS

Although the start of a new year can be a motivating time to make big changes in our lives, experts warn that it is best to not try to do too much at once.

Thomas advises, «Don’t overcomplicate yourself with too many resolutions.» It’s great to want to make positive changes, but it is important that all your goals can be achieved within the timeframe of 365 calendar days. If we fail to set achievable goals and fail to keep our resolutions, it reduces our motivation and confidence. Don’t create too many goals that are difficult to achieve.

She advises, «When deciding how to make New Years resolutions, you should focus on one to three resolutions.» You will be more likely stick to them.

4. TAKE SOMETHING UP

According to Anna Williamson, a celebrity coach and life coach, confidence can be tied to giving up on New Year’s resolutions. If we make a resolution to lose weight and get healthier, and then two weeks later we feel like we have failed. We can quickly give up and stop bothering. She explains that confidence and self-esteem can drop and it may be easier to give up than to find new ways to achieve the goal.

Williamson recommends, «The key to creating a New Year’s resolution with a positive intent is to set it with positive intentions.» You don’t have to give up on something, but you can add something that is realistic and possible to your life.

You could resolve to cook at home instead of eating out. Or you could try a new exercise program that will help you lose weight. This is a sustainable option that you can keep track of as you go along the year. She says it doesn’t feel rigid enough to prevent you from having relaxed days in between days of being extremely healthy.

5. ASK YOURSELF WHY

Most people make a resolution for the New Year when they feel tired and hopeful for a new beginning. Jade Thomas, a psychotherapist, suggests that you ask yourself why you chose the resolution you did.

Is it meant to improve your health and well-being? To improve your social life. Do you want to make it a priority? She says that by giving specific reasons behind your resolutions, it makes them more meaningful and will help you stay motivated throughout the year.

6. MAKE THE RECOVERY PART OF YOUR ROUTINE

This is where many fitness-oriented resolutions run into trouble. It may prove difficult to find a way to make your fitness goals a reality if you have never had a regular workout routine. It’s important to create an action plan, and then put it on paper with a planner or similar.

Rachel Sacerdoti, a personal trainer, has some tips for anyone who is unsure where to start. Strength training is a must to maintain and build muscle mass. She says that lifting weights or using your body weight 3-4 times per week will increase bone density, strength, mobility, balance, and range of motion.

Sacerdoti says that it works because you don’t have to do too much. If you don’t have the time to do long sessions, snacks are a great alternative. Start light and work on your form. Once you feel the high end endorphins, you’ll never want to stop moving.

7. REMEMBER, IT’S YOUR MIND OVER MATTER

You might face some physical challenges in achieving your New Years resolution. However, it is possible to set an action plan and make it a part of your daily routine. Mental block is another obstacle that many people face when trying to make resolutions for the New Year that will last.

Sacerdoti recommends that you use one of the top habit tracker apps to help you with this. She says that keeping track of your time is a great idea, especially for the first 28 days. «If you’re honest with yourself, it’s also a good idea to keep track of your time.» You’ll be amazed how emotions, food and exercise can all be linked. You can easily identify your internal and external triggers by having everything down.

8. ADOPT ACCOUNTABILITY

You might find it difficult to keep your resolutions up if you have a family member or friend who is struggling. Sacerdoti suggests accountability as a way to move forward.

She says, «Once you’ve made a commitment to yourself, having someone else depend on you can help you keep your motivation strong and make the habit stick.» It makes the whole experience more social. It allows you to share your successes and goals, cheer on one another, and lean on one another for support.

9. LEAVE THE GUILT AT THE END OF YOUR RESOLVEMENT

While resolutions can bring about positive changes in our lives, they can also lead to guilt. Glenn Shelford is a personal trainer who specialises in creating immersive exercise programs.

«Health and fitness goals are the most popular New Year’s resolutions. This can be very positive. You can feel guilty or under pressure depending on how you approach it,» Shelford, who is also a Juno employee, said.

If you’re looking to get on the ground running for New Year’s Day that’s fine. You can also choose to relax on the couch and spend time with your friends and family. It’s not sustainable to exercise year round if it feels like a chore.

10. CELEBRATE THE SMALL WINS

If changing your outlook on something is part your New Year’s Resolution, this will be one the most important tips. Sacerdoti advises that you should not forget to celebrate your successes, regardless of how small they may seem. It is essential to be present and enjoy your life’s successes in order to maintain and nurture your overall well-being.