We've all made New Year's Resolutions that only last a few weeks or months, even though we know that making the change is the right thing to do. We want to do it. We start out super motivated...and then...not so much. Why is it so hard to stick with the things that we know are good for us and that we truly want to incorporate in our lives?
Because it's not just about logical thinking and exerting willpower. We don't operate in a vacuum. There are societal and environmental factors that can either make it harder or easier to stick with our desired changes.
Have you ever tried to be the only person eating a salad when everyone else is having cheeseburgers and fries? You certainly can eat more veggies, no matter what everyone else is eating, but it feels a lot easier if others around you are having salads, too.
Maybe your goal is to exercise more and you've told yourself all day that you are going to go for a walk after work, but when you leave work it's raining or snowing so instead of walking you just go home and curl up on the couch to watch Netflix.
6 Tips for More Successful New Year's Resolutions
There's no "one size fits all" approach, but there are some strategies that you can incorporate that are proven to increase your chances of success.
1. Structure your environment
This means things like cleaning all the junk food out of your pantry, setting out your workout clothes the night before, carrying a water bottle with you, or using an app to remind you to get up and move or take a drink of water more regularly.
When your motivation runs low these things can make it easier to achieve your desired behavior.
2. Action before motivation
It can be really hard to even get started with a new habit. Sometimes it's a case of knowing you should do something but not really fully wanting to do it. Set yourself a small, achievable goal for starters, something that you feel very confident that you can actually accomplish. Maybe it's going to the gym once the first week. Maybe it's replacing one dessert with a serving of berries. Maybe it's just doing some research about the thing you're thinking about doing. Whatever it is that you decide you can definitely do, Do It! And then call that a win. Pat yourself on the back. Seriously. Tell yourself you did a good job! Taking that first step and celebrating your success gives you a little surge of dopamine, and that small win can be enough to motivate you to take the next step.
3. The buddy system
Because we are social creatures we tend to do better with our goals when we have social support. Tell your loved ones what your goals are and ask them to support you. Maybe your partner will go to the gym with you. Maybe a friend will go for a walk with you at lunch time. Maybe your sister will stop dropping baked goods off at your house. Finding others who are interested in the same changes you are and having someone else to be accountable to are big motivators that can keep you going.
4. Think about challenging situations and plan ahead
Plan ahead for what to do in a situation that might trigger old, more-comfortable-but-less-healthy, behaviors. If you don't have to make a decision in the moment you are more likely to make the "right" decision. In the example where you opt to go home and watch Netflix instead of walking because the weather is bad, you would think ahead about what to do to meet your exercise goal for the week if there's bad weather. It could be as simple as going the next night if your goal is to walk a few times per week. Or, if you're trying to exercise every day, you might think of options like going to the gym, walking indoors, or riding an exercise bike at home. The important piece is to recognize that you aren't going to feel motivated to walk outside in the rain and plan ahead for an alternative so you can easily implement Plan B in the moment.
5. Tailor your action steps to what will work for you
If someone told me I had to exercise more by going to the gym it would never happen. But if I can exercise more by going for a walk with a friend, I'm all in. We each have to decide:
- What are my specific goals?
- What is my motivation behind those goals; why is this important to me?
- What are the strategies that are going to work for me?
6. Work with a coach
Coaching can help you find your personal motivation for change and create your individualized plan of action.
It also gives you that accountability partner that is proven to help maintain sustainable changes.
Please reach out if you'd like to learn more.
Happy New Year!
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