When the holiday season winds down, and the hustle of parties, family gatherings, and crowded public spaces is nearly over, it’s time to focus on how you want to greet the new year. For many, the new year is a time for reflection, and an opportunity to think about clean slates, new attitudes, and promises to do better going forward.
Millions of people around the globe plan to commit to a New Year’s resolution. Ironically, many of those resolutions are probably the same ones they committed to last year. That’s because a huge majority of people – about 88% – wind up breaking their resolutions within the first two weeks of January!
If so many people can’t even make it through the first half of the first month of the year, why do we bother making resolutions at all?
Why Resolutions Fail
In theory, setting goals for yourself to become healthier, more productive, or more focused on family is a great idea. When you think about making positive changes in your life, it can be motivating and exciting. But many people put too much pressure on themselves and take on too many resolutions at once – especially when that calendar year starts anew. It’s an unrealistic undertaking to try to radically change so many of your behaviors, and it can result in frustration and failure. Not only do all your well-intentioned promises fall by the wayside, but your mental health may take a hit as well.
That’s why it might be time to rethink how you approach your resolutions and focus on making small, realistic changes now, rather than try to imagine a new life as someone completely different.
Five Tips to Stay on Track
New Year’s resolutions are usually big. “Lose 20 pounds.” “Buy a house.” “Find the love of your life.” But setting your sights on a huge, life-changing goal without figuring out how to get there can set you up to fail. How can you work towards success without putting too much pressure on yourself?
Tip 1: Break Down Big Goals
Figuring out how to lose 20 pounds might feel overwhelming if you haven’t tried to do it before but breaking down that resolution into more manageable and measurable goals can help you feel like you’re making progress. Challenging yourself to walk a mile every other day or skipping dessert during the workweek feels much more realistic and accessible.
It might be helpful to try setting SMART goals – which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Focusing on objectives with these characteristics can help you see and celebrate small changes that lead to bigger ones.
Tip 2: Don’t Compare Yourself
In today’s era of social media, we are surrounded by images and stories of people “living their best lives” which can make it easy to feel inferior by comparison. It’s important to remember that social feeds are often curated and designed to show mostly positive moments.
Similarly, it’s not healthy to compare yourself and your goals to others. Everyone is on their own journey. Set your sights on what’s best for you at this time in your life.
Tip 3: Take it Easy on Yourself
Setting goals for yourself can motivate you to move forward, but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t hit every milestone exactly on time. Keep the old adage, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” top of mind and understand that you may have setbacks.
Instead of giving up if you don’t achieve your goals exactly when you envisioned, adjust your timeline and keep moving forward.
Tip 4: Don’t Do it Alone
You might think that any New Year’s resolution you make requires you to roll up your sleeves and figure it out yourself, but leaning on family and friends can give you the courage and confidence to make things happen.
Getting involved in a community of like-minded people can also help you achieve your goals. If you’re trying to exercise more, join a class instead of doing it on your own. If you want to read more, connect with an online book club to better motivate you.
Tip 5: Focus on Progress
Between setbacks beyond your control or hiccups along the way, achieving your goals may be a longer-term process than you initially imagined. Don’t let that stop you. Focus on how far you’ve come rather than how much further you need to go.
Staying confident about the future and measuring your progress can keep you motivated to keep moving.
Any New Year’s resolutions you decide on should prioritize your mental health and well-being. Creating goals can motivate you but they can also make you feel discouraged or depressed if they don’t work out immediately. Recognize that no one is perfect and continuing to make headway is the key success factor.
Need Extra Support?
If examining or supporting your mental health is one of your New Year’s resolutions this year, MindGlow Health offers talk therapy and psychiatric care through online appointments with licensed providers who are experienced and passionate about what they do. The company was built on the foundation of a well-established behavioral health organization, where thousands of people nationwide have sought care for their mental health concerns.
Learn more about the services we provide or get started today with one of our experienced, passionate online providers to take the first step towards a healthier, happier you.