The New Year brings new opportunities to change your life and make new promises to yourself and others. It is estimated that over 40% of the US population commits to resolutions at the end of every year in hopes of improving certain areas of their life in the year to come. The issue with resolutions is they are often short lived. The University of Scranton found that only 8% of people achieve their New Year’s goals. We want you to do your best in 2015 by establishing resolutions you can stick to. We spoke to a Mental Health Professional on JustAnswer who offered the following suggestions to help you on your journey to greatness in 2015.
1. Set small goals – Don’t decide you are going to lose 25 pounds for example. Start with one pound a week or month. Once you achieve a few pounds, the rest will be easier.
2. Reduce your stress – Trying to start a resolution when you are overwhelmed with stress is a sure way to sabotage yourself. Reduce your stress through taking care of yourself – practice deep breathing exercises, eating well, and exercising regularly.
3. Do something fun – The more you can change your outlook the easier it is to achieve your goals. Watch a funny movie, get together with friends, whatever you choose make sure you set aside time to do something you enjoy.
4. Tackle one resolution at a time – You may have a list, but don’t try to start them all at once. Incorporate them into your life one at a time so you don’t become overwhelmed.
5. Find people to support you – Whether it is through friends, family, support groups or even therapy. The more you can lean on others, the easier it will be to implement and execute change.
6. Don’t get discouraged – It takes time to change behaviors. So if you fail the first time, don’t give up and decide you can’t do it. Keep trying. It can take several attempts in order to be successful.
7. Don’t set strict deadlines – Strict deadlines can cause unexpected disappointment. For example, don’t say I will lose 20 pounds by February. That is a sure way to fail. Be flexible. The focus is on achieving the goal, not how long it takes you.
If you want to speak with an expert to help you set and achieve your 2015 resolutions, they are available on JustAnswer any time, day or night. Chat Now >
