How To Stick To Your New Year’s Resolutions
It goes without saying that the unofficial slogan of New Year’s resolutions is “easier said than done.” The beginning of a new year serves as an opportunity for us to reflect on our faults and strengths, our good habits and bad habits, our goals and regrets. The approach of a new year is often seen as a chance to transform ourselves into the person we want to be. Unfortunately, estimates show that while millions of Americans continue to set New Year’s resolutions, less than 8% of people actually stick to their goals the entire year. Here are some tips for sticking with your resolutions as well as my top New Year’s resolution ideas!
Setting S.M.A.R.T Goals
Originating from the Management Review journal in 1981, the acronym S.M.A.R.T has assisted people in creating attainable goals.
Specific: Make your resolution simple and clear. Rather than writing “I want to exercise more,” come up with a specific workout plan that tells you which exercises you will do, when you will do them, where you will work out, etc. Every resolution should be able to answer the five “W”s: who, what, when, where, and why. Creating specific goals will allow you to focus your efforts and will motivate you to achieve them.
Measurable: Create a resolution that allows you to track your progress. For example, if you want to read more books in the new year, create a deadline for how long each book should take you and specify how many books you want to read. Make sure that your resolution can answer questions such as: “how many,” “how will I know when it is accomplished,” “how can I track my progress,” etc. This will allow you to assess your progress towards your goal and make any necessary adjustments.
Achievable: Ensure that your resolution is realistic based on your personal abilities. Humans have a tendency to set overly ambitious goals, and while it is important challenge yourself, make sure that your resolution is still possible to achieve within your given capabilities. Additionally, ensure that achieving your goal is entirely in your control. For example, setting a goal to get a lead role in a regional theatre would depend on the other people auditioning and the casting director’s final decision. Rather, setting a goal to hone your skills and gain enough experience to get the role would be within your control.
Relevant: Set a resolution that matters to you and matches other relevant needs. Make sure that you are in the right state of mind to achieve your goal and that is worth your efforts. It is difficult to achieve a goal without self-motivation and a strong will to gain momentum. Consider how your goal will affect the people around you and if it matches your family’s current needs. A relevant resolution will set you up for success.
Time-Bound: Always set a target date or a deadline by when you aim to achieve your goal. Often times, our focus is diverted from our long-term goals to our everyday tasks. Ensuring you have a realistic timeline for your resolution will assist you in reaching your goal.
Resolution Ideas
#1 Spend More Time With Family
The never-ending hustle of our daily lives can result in families spending minimal time together. Consider planning family activities, such as cooking a meal together, going on a neighborhood walk on the weekend, or having a family board game night. Spending time together as a family can be as simple as eating dinner together, but making the time to get off a screen and bond with your family will strengthen some of the most important relationships in your life.
#2 Eat Healthier Snacks
It’s easy to reach for a bag of chips or to chug a can of soda, but it takes true willpower to sustain a healthy eating style. Rather than burdening yourself with calorie counting, encourage your family to order less takeout and to eat more organic foods. Eating healthy also comes with several health and psychological benefits. Despite the rumors, a healthy snack can still taste good while giving you all the benefits that come with healthy foods. For example, instead of eating potato chips, try kale chips sprinkled with salt. Kale chips are more nutritious and contain less saturated fats while still satisfying a salty craving. You can find more ideas on easy, healthy alternatives to your favorite junk food items here.
#3 Get More Sleep
Most adolescents need 8–10 hours of sleep each night in order to function well the next day. However, approximately two-thirds of high school students in the US get under 8 hours of sleep. This year, make an effort to go to bed earlier rather than staying up late to finish your homework. If a certain class is giving an excessive amount of work which is causing you to stay up late at night, consider talking to your teacher about the unreasonable homework load. Never compromise your sleep time.
#4 Drink More Water
Set a goal to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. Keeping yourself hydrated will yield several benefits, including a better academic performance and an improved mood. Due to the increase in consumption of caffeinated beverages and diets high in sodium, drinking 8 glasses of water a day is necessary in order to balance the onset of dehydrating beverages and foods that many of us consume on a daily basis.
#5 Create An Exercise Routine
Embed exercise into your daily routine. Exercise is a vast category filled with many potential activities, including practicing sports, yoga, strength and conditioning, pilates, etc. Find a type of exercise that makes your mind and body feel better and try to engage in the activity every day. Even if you only have 10 minutes of free time, taking the time to exercise will boost your overall performance and mood.
#6 Read More Books
Reading is an excellent way to wind down a busy day and will add new perspectives to your collection. Establishing the habit of reading books outside of school will expand your vocabulary, empower you to empathize with others, and reduces stress. Reading before bed will take your mind off any anxiety from school and will allow you to sleep better. It’s simple: pick a genre or topic that interests you and read a good book about it. You can find book recommendations here and can access books from the King County Library System here.
#7 Pick A New Hobby
There are a number of reasons to begin a new hobby. For starters, establishing several hobbies that you are passionate about or that bring you joy will come in useful as you get older. Engaging in a hobby has been shown to reduce negative stress and will build your confidence as you challenge yourself to try new things. Also, the exposure to a variety of hobbies will allow you to meet new friends and to find common ground with other people. Hobbies develop certain skills that all translate into real-life skills, which can come in useful in the future. Here are a few hobby suggestions:
Calligraphy: I recently learned how to do calligraphy lettering and I would highly recommend this hobby to anyone else who enjoys arts and crafts. Calligraphy pens are relatively cheap and the activity can be extremely cathartic.
Gardening: Gardening is an excellent hobby to pursue. From planting a garden of tulips to growing fresh tomatoes, gardening is full of color and has an aesthetic appeal to it. Try growing your own fruits and vegetables and cooking a homegrown meal. Not only will this make your diet healthier, but this hobby is low-cost and very sustainable.
Cooking: The vivid art of cooking ranges from baking desserts to making savory dishes. Start out with simple recipes, and if cooking proves to be a hobby that you enjoy, consider writing a blog with your own recipes or cooking for your family on special occasions.
Walking/Running: Walking and/or running are activities you can engage in no matter where you are. A quick walk around your neighborhood can clear your head and gives you some time to think to yourself. Spending more time outside will also produce a love and appreciation of nature.
Learn A New Language: Use the free app Duolingo to learn new vocabulary and phrases in a new language. Duolingo offers 36 popular languages and teaches them through fun activities and exercises. Try to have a simple conversation in the language of your choice!
Origami: Origami is a peaceful and relaxing activity to engage in. Start out with simple paper folds, and if origami proves to be your passion, advance to more difficult paper folds. Intricate origami folds can serve as ornate decorations to place in your house. You can find some easy instructions for origami here.
There you have my New Year’s Resolution ideas as well as a few tips on how to set goals that you will stick with! Write a detailed plan for your New Year’s Resolutions and push yourself to show up and try your best. Remember:
“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.”
~Theodore Roosevelt
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