The new year brings a time of reflection and resolution. While many will make promises to themselves to go to the gym more often, eat healthier, stress less, study harder, or sleep more, the reality of everyone actually fulfilling their promises is a chance that equals slim to none. Sure, the first week of the new year many will get a gym membership or buy broccoli instead of frozen french fries at the grocery store, but how long does this actually last? Come March, or February even, many will have gone back to their old habits, gone back to the excuse of "I'll do it later," until that excuse leads them to the next year, another promise of a "New year, new me."
For this January, and for the months that follow, if one plans to fulfill their promise, to stick to their resolution not just for the first week of the new year, but for the year itself, it will require self-discipline. Here are some tips for making sure that you can truly stick to your resolution, and to make sure that this new year really brings a new and better you.
1. Pick a resolution that is actually attainable.
The easiest way to complete a goal is to make sure that the goal is realistic. If you want to get better grades in math, don't make the goal to be at the top of your class, but make the goal be to simply improve. Going from a C- to a B+ is something to be proud of, you don't need to be on the all A Honor Roll just to feel satisfied in the new year.
2. Start slow.
In order to fulfill a resolution, you have to realize that a goal is something to work toward, not something that you'll achieve all at once. If you want to work out more, don't commit yourself to twice a day, everyday, at first. That will only end up with you getting injured and sore and telling yourself your body has to rest and that you'll go back when you're better, only to never go back. It's better to start out with maybe three days a week, then work your way upwards as your body gets stronger. This way, maybe by April you'll be at the gym at least five days a week.
3. Find someone to help you stay on track.
While it might seem easy to convince yourself that you will achieve your goal, let's be real, you're going to need a bit of help along the way. If your goal is to stress less, find a friend to study with, who will take you out for ice cream the minute anxiety over this week's exam starts to take over.
4. Remember to stay motivated.
All goals will have bumps along the way to accomplishment. Staying motivated and on task is never going to be easy, especially when there are so many other things you'd rather be doing than working towards your goal. If your resolution is to sleep more, it's understandable if late night Netflix binges tend to be a problem, but if you stay motivated towards what you promised yourself you would do in the new year, you might just find the strength to close that laptop screen and go to bed before midnight.
Overall, a new year brings a time of new ambitions and a time of new hopes. If one is able to stick to their goals and stick to their resolutions, then they truly have something to be proud of, and they truly will be on the path towards making 2019 a Happy New Year.
