Seven Simple Tips for Making Your New Years’ Resolutions a Reality
Written by Michael Goonan
Who cares about New Years’ resolutions?
Does anybody really take that gobbledygook seriously anymore?
Am I really three sentences into reading some psychobabble on the subject?
As much as popular culture these days scoffs at the idea of New Years’ resolutions, they are a perfectly reasonable and workable means of self-improvement. It is true: There is nothing magical about January 1, as any cynical advertiser coming up with a scheme to redirect your desire for self-improvement to consumption of their products knows. The good news is that, any time of year, you have the power to set and work towards goals that make your life better. If you find yourself in that mindset at the start of 2019, congratulations!
We are conditioned by popular misconception to believe that setting and working towards New Years’ resolutions is a daunting process. The truth is that it can be a simple and enjoyable way to start your year. Here are seven simple tips for setting and achieving your New Years’ resolutions for 2019.
Be kind to yourself: This is the foundation upon which your entire resolutions project rests. We take on New Years’ resolutions because we care about ourselves and our wellbeing. Please remember this and let it guide you through the process.
Understand that habits can be changed over time: On average, it takes about 66 days to form a new habit. So whether you are trying to start a new exercise routine, devote an hour a day to your writing, or practice your instrument each day, understand that you probably will not be perfect immediately. Just stick with the process. Your mind is currently used to its other habits, but if you keep moving forward, this new one will become second nature in due time.
Set challenging but attainable goals: In order for goal setting to be fun and rewarding, our goals need to be attainable. If I resolve, by the end of January, to be as good a basketball player as Michael Jordan, I am bound to be disappointed. If, however, I resolve to work on my jump shot for 30 minutes each day, I am extremely likely to be a better player by the end of the month than I am right now. It takes commitment and effort to set aside those 30 minutes a day, so the goal presents me with a challenge to meet. But it also presents me with a strong chance at success if I keep at it.
Focus on one or two goals: Often, we set too many resolutions in our zealousness. Enthusiasm is a good thing, but alas, it is just not realistic to think that we can write a novel, become a world-class cello soloist, and run a marathon all at once. Better to set one or two achievable goals, and then check in after a few months to see how we are progressing. If by then our goals have become habits, and we are making steady progress towards them, perhaps we can start to think about new goals.
Reward yourself for your progress: Research has demonstrated that positive reinforcement is a very effective tool when attempting to change our behaviors or adopt new ones. Positive reinforcement is simply the application of a positive stimulus immediately following the desired behavior. The stimulus can be anything harmless that you enjoy: a cup of coffee, a hug from your significant other, a ride on your skateboard. It does not matter what it is as long as it makes you feel good, it does not hurt you, and you can do it immediately following your new behavior. Do this every time you engage in the behavior that you would like to habituate.
Share your goals with (positive) people you care about: If you have shared your goals with friends and family, you will be motivated to uphold your word. Just make sure that those are positive people who will encourage you in your progress. Do not waste time talking about your resolution with those who would relish in your failure.
Better than simply sharing, find someone with similar interests and work towards the same goals together. Research has shown that social support is one of the most effective means of forming and keeping new habits.
Enjoy the process: It does not serve you to view your New Years’ resolutions as a chore. Instead, I suggest thinking of them as a game. Being playful will not only make the process fun, it will ensure that you are more present to the goals you are working towards and will very likely improve your performance. If you find yourself thinking “This is a drag,” bring in your sense of humor and have a good laugh. From there, shift your focus to one or two things you appreciate about your new behavior.
If these tips are of benefit to you, please feel free to use them. I know for a fact that these methods of goal setting have worked in my life and in the lives of others. Sometimes, though, thinking of things in this way can seem overly complicated. When that is the case, it is best to simply pick something you are passionate about and do it. Do not stress about how it will be done, how you will track your progress, or whether you are doing it “right.” Simply start doing the thing you have been meaning to do – whether it is exercise, making art, writing that song, or whatever! As I stated at the beginning: New Years’ resolutions should be about being kind to yourself and living a better life today than you were living yesterday. If they do not serve that purpose for you, then you are better off without them.
“A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” — Lao Tzu
The Author
Michael Goonan teaches English at Nampyeong Elementary School in Naju. Originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania, he’s also lived in the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Australia, and the Netherlands. He blogs about travel, culture, politics, and more at www.adventuresofmike.net.