Another year is winding down. And after all the holiday festivities with friends and families, many take time for some introspection and make some new goals for the year to come. Of course, we know about finally kicking off that exercise routine, paying off those high interest credit cards, or eating healthier, it’s important to remember New Year’s resolutions don’t just happen overnight or by the end of January for that matter.
The goals we make for ourselves take time and, more often than not, a shift in attitude and behavior. Reaching goals is a journey, and just because New Year Resolutions get a bad rap and little follow-through, the intent comes from a good place and wants or desire to make a positive change. Here, we’ll cover some ways you can make your 2023 resolutions a reality and, hopefully, lifelong habit.
6 Ways to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions in 2023
It’s easy to make your resolutions for the new year. After all, these goals aim to improve relationships, health, and life. It’s keeping resolutions that become a problem for many people. We can treat New Year resolutions as any habit or change in life… Create a plan. The following lists a breakdown of how you can break your resolutions in smaller parts, create a plan, and help keep your New Year’s resolutions in 2023.
Make Realistic and Attainable Resolutions
Dreaming big isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can make change a bit overwhelming. Try limiting resolutions and be specific. When we have fewer objectives to tick off the list, it makes it easier to stay focused and lead to greater success. And even with 1 to 2 resolutions, break it down to the ridiculous and take baby steps. Reaching your goals is not a race, and when we take time to plan and measure our successes and setbacks, we can make achievable resolutions for the New Year and beyond.
Include Roadblocks in Your Plan
New habits and change are not always a bed of roses, and it’s highly likely you will run into roadblocks during the journey. Consider some possible setbacks and some tactics you can use to stay on track. Brainstorming obstacles and alternative thoughts and actions are essential for your plan and can help prepare you for any setbacks.
Create a Reward System
Cutting out bad habits or introducing new, healthy ones is hard work. Create a timeline and reward yourself for all that hard work. Choose something you really enjoy. For instance, tuck away money normally spent on cigarettes, and treat yourself at the end of each week or 30 days. Having something to look forward to can help keep motivation running high.
Track Your Results
Whether short or long-term goals, tracking your progress can help keep you motivated. There are many apps available for measuring your results or you can keep it analog with a journal or even something as simple as a spiral notebook.
Get Support
We’ve all heard this and may not give it enough credit, but a support system can help people stay motivated and accountable for making change in their life. Some ways you can get support is through your own network of family and friends or joining a like-minded group.
Keep Going
Since change often takes much longer than we like, many people lose the initial drive and motivation. Whether February, March, or June, congratulate yourself on the strides made, and the setbacks, too. While setbacks can leave us feeling uninspired, we can take a different perspective and learn from them. Be flexible and compassionate to yourself, and when needed, change the plan if it’s not working.
Happy New Year from Pura Vida Recovery Services
The team at Pura Vida wishes you and yours a happy and safe New Year. We encourage you to take a moment this holiday season, and think about the parts of your life you want to change for the better. Start small and avoid thinking of setbacks as failure. Setback can make great learning opportunities and help foster our abilities for growth and lasting change.
