How to make a New Year resolution and stick to it for at least 300 days.

 

It is a New Year and it is only traditional that after the merriment and funfair that ushers in the New Year, we retreat for a few moments and take up the singular responsibility of making a resolution. This resolution could range from a single habit to an entire lifestyle modification. Whatever shape or form your New Year resolution may take, here are a few tips to help you meet your expectations.

1.        Set the bar reasonably high. Most people would want a total overnight make over. From regular to superhuman in a very short while. This may be possible but likely improbable for the majority of “resolutionist”. Whatever you might want to achieve with your resolution that has made you give 52weeks of the year to achieving is definitely not minced meat, so put a lot of thought into it and do not scare yourself with superhuman task that you would probably abandon by august

2.       It is 12 months and a lot of days. Time is on your side (except you are 80 and want to be an Olympic sprinter). Most things if not all are achievable when broken down into smaller simpler units so do the same to your resolutions and take each tiny bit and accomplish it within that period.

3.       Start. It’s as simple as that. Just get up and start, and do not stop till you notice an improvement.

4.       Do it today. Simply put, do not procrastinate. Today is a good day to get started and a good day to keep going.

5.       Records are important. This could work in 2 ways, it could show you how far you have come or it could show you how much is left. Either ways, a positive attitude would help you look at the challenges and strive to overcome. Get that positive attitude from anywhere you can and never let it go

6.       Take a break. Just do this sparingly so as not to stall or hinder the progress or gathering momentum but enough to prevent burnout which is a major setback.

7.       Reward yourself. Yes! Once you have accomplished a sizeable chunk of work reward yourself with a healthy dose of gratitude, try to avoid relapse also. However do not dwell on present success. Keep going

8.       Setbacks are a must. Hiccups and life will always interfere in your progress so expect it, prepare for it and equip yourself to survive. These setbacks will make the task harder but the reward even much sweeter.

9.       Have fun. Your resolution should not be a punishment, it should be a step or set of steps to becoming a better person. With that in mind, the process should be enjoyed as much as possible and not endured. Endurance gives room for relapse and you wouldn’t want to start over a process you endured next year, would you?

10.   Let go. A lot of things or people or situations would want to prevent you from making a resolution, let them go. A lot of excuses would come up along the way to slow you down, derail you, or send you in the wrong direction. Identify them and let them go. You don’t need anchors to slow your ship when it wishes to sail (except if your resolution is to stop sailing, then anchorage is allowed).

A resolution should not be a competition but it can make you more competitive. It’s you against yourself. You have nothing to prove to anybody but yourself (ok! Maybe your spouse).

HAPPY NEW YEAR.