How to stick to your New Year's resolutions

2020 is upon us and with the New Year (and new decade) comes a slew of optimistic "I shoulds", New Year's resolutions, goals and aspirations that we set for ourselves for the year ahead. While choosing your New Year's resolutions is straight forward enough, the real test comes with actually sticking to them. We often set lofty and unattainable goals that we have no hope of sticking to, which we then end up giving up on.

Here are some tips to help you stick to all the resolutions you've set for yourself:

Set realistic goals

When it comes to setting (and keeping to) your New Year's resolutions, you should set your goals realistically. If you set goals which are unattainable and unsuited to your specific needs and situation, you will only find yourself disappointed when you are unable to stick to them. For example, if your resolution is to redo your home's interior, it is important to first look at your financial situation and ensure that you have the means to do so or otherwise you may not be able to achieve your goals.

Start small and look at working on goals that are easier to achieve. If you want to start going to the gym, aim to go once a week. If you want to eat healthier, find ways of incorporating healthier foods into your current diet. Don't set yourself up for failure as this can leave you disappointed and unmotivated.

Enlist support from those around you

Making big changes and sticking to them on your own can be hard work, which is why getting the support of your family and friends is so important. Having their encouragement and support will help inspire you to keep going even when you feel like you're going off track, and maybe some of them will even join you as you work to fulfil your resolutions. It is also good to find other people who have similar goals, as they can also provide guidance, encouragement and support along the way.

Plan properly

Even with the best intentions, sticking to all your New Year's resolutions can be a lot harder than it looks. This is why it's so important to properly plan ahead so that you can achieve your goals. By properly planning your goals, you can ensure that you know what you will need to achieve your goal, how you can go about doing it and how long it will take to achieve. For example, if you want to learn a new skill - such as gardening - it's important to plan and ensure that you have the right equipment and instruction guides to get started. You might even want to speak to a professional gardener to get some tips beforehand. If your New Year's resolution is to sell your home to buy a new one, then start planning any renovations your house may need and speak to an estate agent. Similarly, if you're wanting to embrace a healthy eating plan in the New Year, you can plan and ensure that your kitchen is stocked with healthy foods and recipe books to help you achieve your goals.

Be kind to yourself

New Year's resolutions are about improving yourself and your lifestyle. It is for this reason that it's important that you make sure to always be fair and kind to yourself - after all, positive reinforcement really works. Reward yourself for achieving your goals and remember not to get too upset about staying at home and missing gym or treating yourself to a pizza. If you do miss a day of gym, use it as an opportunity to motivate yourself to go to the gym twice the following week. It's important to remember that you're only human and that you're bound to mess up occasionally. Being overly militaristic with enforcing your goals will only make you stress, and stress will be counterproductive and demotivating.

With these tips to help you on your way, there's really no reason to renege on your resolutions this year.
 

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