New Year's Resolutions

Picking Lifestyle Changes that Will Stick

Dec 30, 2007 Jennifer Gerics

Can you choose resolutions that will continue past January 31st? What are good goals and what are merely "fantasy" resolutions? Find out ways to make realistic changes.

New Year's resolutions have been around for a long time. People sense the impending new year and want to try new things or change their lifestyles. But how many resolutions last longer than a month?

How many times have you made resolutions (one or more) and seen them disappear as your resolve weakens? Was it because you made too many, had no specific plan to carry them out, or maybe because they were unrealistic? The following are a few tips to make a resolution (yes, just one) happen and to stick with it for the entire year.

Have One Resolution

It's very easy to get bogged down with lots of ideas for change. So many things need to get done, such as getting organized, losing weight, making more free time, or making more money. These ideas are great, but it is hard to do one well, let alone all four.

The best plan is to chose the most important priority. Do you really want to lose weight this year? Has this idea been gnawing at you every New Year's Eve? Then this is what you really want to change. The same is true for getting organized, finding a better job, or writing a book. Of course we want to accomplish multiple things in the new year, but we are more likely to follow through if we chose one specific goal.

Start with a Simple Resolution

Again, it's great to have lofty goals, but it is easier to accomplish something that is small and realistic. If you are considering losing weight, make the resolution simple and specific. Don't try to lose 100 pounds if you have continually quit this resolution in the past. Make a realistic goal of 20 pounds. Once you have achieved this, you can try for more.

This idea works great for other resolutions, such as getting a better job or getting organized. Instead of going on an all-out job search, try seeking different employment within your company. Ask for a raise. As for getting organized, why not start with a single area of your home, such as your kitchen? Once you have accomplished this goal (it might take all of January), you'll be so motivated that you can move on to other areas of your home.

Map out Your Change for the Entire Year

If you are trying to reach a lofty goal such as losing a lot of weight, map out where you want to be each month. Start with 20 pounds, and if you want to achieve more, make realistic deadlines during the rest of the year. If you are trying to land a better job, map out when you would like to start looking and when you would like to interview. Be sure to give yourself a realistic time frame. Some of these bigger resolutions could actually take an entire year to achieve. This mapping technique also works well for smaller goals because it can give you monthly check points to see if you're sticking to your resolution.

Mapping out your goals makes the resolution less daunting, gives it a solid time frame, and it allows for some achievement without making you feel like a failure if you don't complete the entire goal. After all, isn't losing 20 pounds better than losing nothing?

The copyright of the article New Year's Resolutions in Women’s Health is owned by Jennifer Gerics. Permission to republish New Year's Resolutions in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

New Year's Toast

New Year's Party Hat

New Year's Eve in Sydney, Australia