Make the New Year Count: 4 Steps to Lasting Resolutions

We’ve all had ‘em. Some stick with us and some don’t. What am I talking about? New Year’s resolutions, of course!

A new year feels like the perfect time for a fresh start, which is why so many people are motivated to make changes for the better or establish new goals around this time. We’re sometimes so motivated, we bite off more than we can chew and end up abandoning our resolutions come mid-February. Did you know 91% of people don’t keep their resolutions?

Years ago, I would fall into the same resolution cycle. I found it defeating and often wondered if I should even strive for change anymore. After all, what was the point?

Over the years, I’ve evaluated my resolutions and found common threads between the ones that have been successful. Today, I’m sharing these golden nuggets with you in the hopes they help your resolutions last this year!

STEP 1 | Make broad goals on paper, but have specific details in mind.

When considering my goals, I have very specific changes I want to make, but when it comes to writing them down, I need them to be broad.

For example, let’s say my resolution is to cook healthier meals this year. One of the specific details of that goal might be to cook 3 nutritious meals for my family each week. The broader version of that goal is simply to cook healthy meals for my family consistently. That broad goal is what I write down, leaving the specifics (the number of times I’m going to do it) out.

When my goals get too specific and I have a hectic week, I might fall short and get discouraged. My chances of sticking with it become slim. However, if I can look at the broad goal and see I was still being consistent overall (even though the week was rough), I wouldn’t feel like a failure and I’d still have the motivation to continue.

STEP 2 | Attach the goal to habits you’re already consistently (and successfully) doing.

Let’s use the same example for this step. If I need to prep food for a nutritious meal, and I already consistently fix breakfast for my family each morning, I plan a few more minutes to prep that additional meal. Assigning a time for a new habit, and attaching it to something I’m already successfully consistent with, gives me a much greater chance of success.

STEP 3 | Make it easy on yourself.

The moment I decide on a goal, my mind immediately starts brainstorming how I can make the habit easy to manage. What can I pull together, prepare, or think of ahead of time?

With the cooking example above, I’ll spend time researching easy healthy meals and print out recipes (I’m a paper girl). I now quickly have access to a stash of recipes each week that are ready to go. Choosing 3 each week makes grocery shopping and meal planning simple. As we try different recipes, I toss the ones we don’t care for and add new ones we’re interested in trying. No matter what, the recipes are easy to pull without much thought or time spent.

When shopping for ingredients, I opt for ingredients that are already chopped, peeled, washed, and ready to use! This option is great for when our family is busier than usual.

STEP 4 | Make it harder to fail.

Sometimes it’s not enough to make a habit easier; you have to make it harder to fail.

If the goal is to cook and eat healthier, I clear out unhealthy snacks and junk food so it’s not available in the house for regular consumption. When we’re at a special function or gathering, eating dessert or a handful of candy becomes an occasional indulgent treat, and we feel guiltless because of the healthy habits we’ve already established at home.

I also pack away recipes that might get us off track and put them at the top of the closet where they are less accessible. This encourages me to think twice before deciding to use it.

The annual ritual of New Year’s resolutions doesn’t have to be a disappointment. I hope these steps help bridge the gap between failure and success for you this year. I’d love to hear from you in the comments below or on my Facebook page. Do you make resolutions? If so, what are you planning this year?