Do you make New Year resolutions? Do you keep them? I don’t.
If you’re like me, you do neither. Don’t get me wrong. I think making New Year resolutions is a great idea. I used to make them for many years. But then I realized that there was really no point, because my resolutions would go out the window by Jan 10th. Or sooner. So, like many others, I took the easy way out. Instead of stopping to analyze what was wrong and how I could correct it, I simply gave up on resolutions.
Revive your resolutions
But, this year, I have done some thinking and would like to get back to making resolutions. And start sticking with them. But, to do that effectively and to be able to keep my resolutions, there are some things I need to examine. Why did my earlier attempts fail? And what can I do differently?
Here are some of the common mistakes people make when it comes to New Year resolutions.
1. Setting goals too high – Lose 25 pounds in January? Not likely.
If you set impossible goals, it is easy to get discouraged soon. Set measurable goals that you can accomplish with some focused effort.
2. Resolutions that are vague – If you don’t know what you want to achieve, how will you know when you get there? Instead of “ I will be a better person”, how about, listing out top three qualities you want to work on this year – say, patience, being positive, being open-minded.
3. Not revisiting your resolutions – It’s not enough to make a resolution. For it to work, you need to stop and think about the progress you have made and the steps you need to take to improve. You need to set aside time every week or month to review your resolution. Writing it down and keeping a resolution journal may help. If you don’t revisit your resolution, you may find that it is Dec 31 once again, and you will probably wake up to another year when you did not keep your resolution.
After many years, I am back to making new year resolutions this year. I will be writing them down, reviewing them every now and then and I will take small steps towards bigger goals. How about you? Do you have any resolutions this year? Why/not?
Remember: If you want to make a New Year resolution, start today. You don’t have to wait until next New Year’s Eve.