Achieving success with New Year’s resolutions

Authors: Anupama Jithesh, Dr Sohaila Cheema, and Dr Karima Chaabna

The New Year is a fashionable time for self-improvement resolutions. Examples of popular resolutions include eating healthy, exercising more, pursuing a new career objective, or improving mental health. However, research shows that a quarter of individuals give up on their resolutions within the first week, 80% by February, and fewer than 10% will be able to maintain their resolutions until the end of the year. We must realize that forming new habits takes time and practice.

Strategies to enable long-lasting behavior change:

The strategies below can assist you with making New Year’s resolutions realistic and long-lasting.

Positive goals

Instead of resolutions, focus on goals—positive rather than negative. Instead of moving away from an undesirable state, construct goals that move toward the ideal state. For example, instead of resolving to give up on all processed food, commit to eating more home-cooked meals or snacking on fruits and vegetables. Also, goals should not be too large or vague, such as losing weight or eating healthier. It is important to create Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals. Breaking a large goal, like running a marathon, into smaller and manageable goals, such as going for a jog twice a week, will make your goal achievable. This will also help you focus your efforts and increase the probability of reaching your final goal. Try to select activities you enjoy and love.

Motivation

Focus on why the change is important rather than what you want to change. During challenging times, when motivation decreases, remind yourself of the benefits of making the change. Make yourself accountable and commit yourself.

Positive thinking

Practice positive self-talk. Reinforce affirmations of what you are doing right. Be gentle on yourself and self-encouraging. Truly believe in what you can accomplish. Be mindful of negative thoughts. Re-evaluate to focus on positive feelings and accomplishments.

Get support

Communicating goals either on a public platform or privately with a loved one can help you stay on track. Getting social support by sharing goals with a network of family, friends, or interest groups helps with accountability and maintenance of motivation.

Reward yourself

Reaching the final goal or mastering the behavior alone is not a win. Any small change in a positive direction is better than none. For example, being able to walk and not jog as much as you desire should not be off-putting. The small steps achieved en route to the destination of running a marathon, like walking every day for 30 minutes, should also be rewarded. Reward yourself by going out with friends, scheduling a massage, or reading your favorite book—guilt-free! These trigger the brain’s reward system, reinforcing the behavior and making it more likely to be repeated.

Regular reflections

Track your progress and revisit your goals regularly. It is common to slip, but reflecting on the situation and getting back on track quickly is important. Adapting the goals as needed is a key component of successful behavior change. If exercising daily for 30 minutes is not feasible, apply a different strategy, such as breaking it into three 10-minute walks, e.g., before work, during lunch, and after work, instead of completely calling it quits.

Change can be challenging, but it is possible with a positive mindset, setting SMART goals, practicing gratitude for what has been achieved, and learning from the past.

Wishing everyone a year of growth and positive transformation!

Sources: Nuvance Health | Arizona State University | Harvard Health Publishing | The British Psychological Society

Editor: Julietta Mirghani