How to Keep New Year Resolutions Past January

We're a couple of weeks into 2022. Have you kept your new year's resolutions?

If you’ve struggled to keep your resolutions in the past, don’t lose hope. More than half of all resolutions fail, but this year that doesn't have to be you.  

Creating new habits takes time and energy. A new behavior won’t become automatic overnight without intention and repetition, but you may enjoy some of its benefits fairly quickly.

With a little extra planning, you can change your habits—and ultimately change your life.

Below are some tips to commit to making this year’s resolution stick:

1. Just Do It! The fact is you never will be fully ready or prepared. You don't need to wait until you feel fully confident before starting - honestly, who knows when that will happen? Many times we feel like we need to know we are going to be good at the goal before we start even trying to reach it. Learning in the middle of reaching our goal helps us to be present and be good with exactly where we are at this moment. Just remember, there is no rush to the result, enjoy the process rather than being hard on yourself and jump in!
   
   Work on your goals when you're ready. You don't need to wait until you feel fully confident before starting—honestly, who knows when that will happen? Just make sure you're committed to the goal and understand what you need to do to achieve it. If you don't feel prepared when you start, you are more likely to get frustrated or overwhelmed and give up. 

   
   Be flexible in your resolutions. Did you start a resolution only to realize that it doesn't feel right? Maybe instead of running ten miles a week, you decide you enjoy spin classes more. That's totally okay! Switch your goal to attending three spin classes a week. Your goals are meant to support YOU. Don't be so inflexible that you give up. 
   
   

2. Track your Progress! Use a habit tracker or app to organize and check off the days you complete your goal. You can also create a chart, or even a journal to help you see your progress. Write down each day - what went well, what didn’t go as planned, and what will you do differently the next day. When you're able to visualize how you're doing and the steps you're taking and create an intention, it can inspire you to stay on track. 

   
   Reviewing what you've accomplished helps you stay on course when it feels as though you're not making progress. Progress doesn't always come in a straight line. Sometimes things get tougher before they get better, so don't give up.
   
   

3. Find a Community! You don’t need to find a group of people doing the exact same thing as you, but you should let people know your goals and how you plan to accomplish them. Ask them to hold you accountable and ask them how you can help support them as well.

   
   If you've struggled to keep your resolutions in the past, don't lose hope. Commit to making this year the year that your resolution will stick. With a bit of extra planning, you can change your habits--and ultimately change your life.
   

If you have a method that works to maintain your commitments, stick with it. Also, consider new approaches which may make you even stronger and more rigorous in the choices you'll make. Stick with your goals, and you'll undoubtedly see a payoff in your improvement, growth, and career development.

The beginning of the new year is the perfect time to reflect and reset. Listen to my podcast episode B³ Breaks (B³ = Business, Balance & Bliss): Pause and Reset to learn how to take a step back tap into how you're feeling internally, and reset your energy.