Overview
At the start of every new year, millions of people set their new year’s resolutions. These resolutions may revolve around eating healthy, exercising more, involving more inspiring people in our lives, or improving financial status.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of these people give up on their resolutions within a few weeks/months.
In this article, we will share with you some tips that will help you keep your new year’s resolutions. But remember, these tips are as good as your commitment to them.
Tips to keep your new year’s resolutions
1. Set short-term goals
Researchers repeatedly found that setting short-term goals is a key factor to achieve larger resolutions. By giving your brain a mini-shot of dopamine when you achieve a small goal, it will stay motivated to work hard.
To take advantage of this neuroscientific fact, keep a journal with a list of things that you need to do. Once you complete a task, cross it off your list.
That little checkmark will stimulate the nucleus accumbens, which is the pleasure center in your brain.
2. Be realistic
Shooting for the stars is not always the best idea, especially if you have trouble sticking to certain goals.
Of course, this does not mean you shouldn’t dream big. You just need to set up goals that you can actually achieve.
For instance, if getting a six-pack is one of your resolutions, do not expect this to happen after a couple of training sessions.
3. Enjoy the journey
Having fun is an extremely important aspect if you want to lower your chances of giving up.
This is especially important for fitness resolutions. For example, if you practice some sports that you don’t enjoy just because you heard it yields great results, you will eventually quit.
Instead, focus on consistency.
If your goals are not fitness-related, just find a way to make them more fun. Reading a 500-page book about physics can be a lot more fun if you apply some of the theories.
4. Get an accountability buddy
While the tips above remove some of the pressure off your back, you still need something to hold you accountable.
For this reason, try to work with a friend or family member who has similar resolutions or has already achieved them. This way, they will hold you accountable until you reach your goals.
Takeaway message
Learning how to keep your new year’s resolutions can be a powerful tool to achieve more goals every year. In fact, sticking to your resolutions will have a major impact on your daily life – in a positive way, of course.
We hope that this article will help you change the bad habit of giving up on your new year’s resolutions and get you closer to your goals.
Here’s to your health!
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Dr. Kevin Crawford