Stick to Achievable Goals
As tempting as it may seem to set large goals, such as “lose thirty pounds” or “go to the gym every night,” sometimes having such lofty ideals can lead to disappointment when you’re unable to achieve your goals. It’s far better to set a realistic goal, such as trying to do an hour’s worth of exercise per week, or walking instead of driving once a week. If you find you’re hitting your targets easily, you can always increase them but it’s hard to decrease targets without feeling like a failure.
Concentrate on one Goal at a Time
In an ideal world, we’d all achieve our resolutions without difficulty, but, in reality, making a change isn’t always easy; if it was, nobody would need to set themselves New Year’s resolutions. Many resolutions are centered around giving up unhealthy habits. While the idea of giving up alcohol, caffeine, smoking and chocolate in the same year may appeal, trying to do it all at once could be very difficult. If you do decide to give up smoking, especially if you’ve smoked for a while, it’s advisable to seek medical help with planning a way to cut down slowly, rather than just trying to quit cold turkey.
Share your Resolution with a Friend
Going to the gym, or going out jogging, can be tedious on your own so why not team up with a friend who has a similar goal. You can keep each other motivated and it’s much more fun working out with a friend. If your goal is weight loss, why not join a group in your area, as this will keep you motivated, and you might even make some new friends!
Celebrate Success using Milestones
Milestones are a great idea, as they help you to break your goal down into bite-sized chunks. For every month that you achieve your goal, why not give yourself a treat. It will give you something to look forward to and help you stay focused. One word of warning though, if your resolution is giving up chocolate, don’t reward yourself with a big bar of chocolate (as tempting as that may sound)! A manicure or massage is a great idea for a reward and it will help you relax and unwind too.
Don’t Give Up!
Finally, if you do find it harder than you’d hoped, don’t give up. If you don’t stick to your resolution, you don’t have to wait until next January, either start again from where you are or set a more achievable goal. As long as you’re still working towards your goal, even if there are some ups and downs on the way, you haven’t failed, so don’t give up!
