New Year’s Resolution: To Keep a New Year’s Resolution
Tips on how to make your resolution a reality
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With another year gone by, it’s time to start the New Year off right. For most people, that comes with their annual new year’s resolution. According to polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers, this year more than 50% of American’s New Year’s resolutions will be to spend more time with friends and family. Also close behind on that list, is to lose weight and get fit and quit smoking.
But, if you can believe it, many people do not keep their resolutions. According to a University of Washington poll on the subject, only 63% of those polled had kept their resolution after two months. By the end of the year, only 40% had been able to achieve their resolution.
If you ask me, those numbers are far too low. So, here are some tips on how to keep your new year’s resolution. Firstly, many people are setting their resolutions too high. Aim low. The lower you aim, the easier it is to succeed. For example, many people at DHS will strive for better grades. How about getting straight A’s? That would be nice. But if you’re pretty far away from that, maybe just try to raise your grade in each class by a point. Or, hey, just shoot for straight B-. Who knows, you might far exceed your resolution, which is much better then coming up short.
Another helpful tip -- tell everyone your resolution. You know that when your friends see you cheating on your resolution that they will give you a hard time. Nobody likes being hassled; therefore it will be easier to keep that new goal. Also, it’s probably good to have the support of close friends and family, just to make the process of going through change easier.
Try to just make one resolution. I know you may want to change a lot about yourself, but no one like’s a resolution overachiever! If you take on more than you can handle, not only will you be less likely to succeed, but you could also be taking time away from the more important one that will help you the most.
Finally, if you realize a week or two into the New Year that it just isn’t going to work out don’t settle for failure: convince yourself you’ve achieved your goal. Say your resolution it to read more, but you find you just don’t have the time. Though when making the resolution maybe you meant books – instead consider reading the cereal box at breakfast or the fine print at the bottom of commercials. Find things you wouldn’t normally read: since the words are sitting in front of your face you will be more likely to read. This way you can rest easily knowing you made a concerted effort to read more, though not in the way you expected. You still achieve your resolution. (Albeit on a smaller scale)
Making a New Year’s resolution is easy; it’s keeping it that is hard. If you don’t want to be one included in the two thirds of Americans who fail, try out some of these tips. Or you can just do what I do and not make one. You can’t fail if you never even make one. Be happy with who you are and say, “I’m comfortable with who I am and I don’t need to change!”
