Let’s face it. Most of us already forgot about our New Year’s resolutions or maybe never made them in the first place. In the whirl of the holidays and a new year beginning, many of us strive to improve ourselves in many ways. From exercising to saving money, resolutions are a good way to start the new year off right. More than half of all resolutions fail, but as February begins, let’s look at how to continue…or maybe restart yours. 

Why even make New Year’s resolutions? It’s important to have the initial motivation to set goals. Being honest with yourself about your current situation and addressing your goal status is key to improvement. Being intentional about how you want to help and grow will also help achieve your results. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), this intentional attitude will help create a stepping stone towards fulfillment and happiness, which will be a positive contribution to your mental and emotional health. Hope and engagement is also another reason why resolutions are helpful. Having that motivation to take action will kickstart your journey in self-improvement. 

The most common New Year’s resolutions are in the category of self-improvement. These include living healthier, finding happiness, losing weight, exercising, stopping smoking, and reducing or stopping drinking. In addition, people strive to meet their career or job goals as well as relationships. Despite these big plans, only a handful of people actually achieve their resolutions. Here are some tips and tricks to help keep your resolutions and meet your goals for 2022! 

Be Realistic

Making your goals unachievable will guarantee failure. For instance, if you were to set a goal to never eat fast food ever again, that would be unreasonable. Depending on the situation and where you are at, this might seem like a likely goal, but for the majority of us, fast food is almost impossible to avoid. This can lead to many negative feelings and emotions and will make you most likely to quit. Your goals should be measurable and easy to track the progress.  “Setting small, attainable goals throughout the year, instead of a singular, overwhelming goal on January 1 can help you reach whatever it is you strive for,” says psychologist Lynn Bufka, PhD. “Remember, it is not the extent of the change that matters, but rather the act of recognizing that lifestyle change is important and working toward it, one step at a time.” 

Make an action plan

Start writing down your steps to reach your resolutions. Having a plan will make it easier for you to follow and stick to it. People who write down and organize their goals feel a greater sense of accountability. Also, if you start working towards a goal without any type of plan in place, you may find yourself giving up when faced with an obstacle. Detailed planning can help anticipate and avoid any of those setbacks. It’s easy to drop out or quit when your goals are vague and not specific enough. The APA suggests focusing on just one behavior at a time is more likely to lead to long-term success. Another thing to consider when planning is how your resolution shouldn’t be just another item on your to-do list. Instead of relying on willpower or desire each day, plan ahead. This will motivate you and in the end, achieve what you set out to do. 

Keep yourself in check

Reevaluating your goals throughout the weeks and months it takes to get there is crucial. Make changes as you go and improve them as you see fit. There will be times when you slip up and splurge on Mcdonald’s or skip a workout. “Remember that minor missteps when reaching your goals are completely normal and OK,” states a psychologist at the APA. Most people might give up after their “failure”, but that’s the opposite of what you should do. Acknowledge the setback and then pick up where you left off. Giving yourself some wiggle room will help keep you pushing forward after a misstep. Through the ups and downs, practice patience and forgiveness, know that everyone is not perfect and that you are on the right path. 

Get others to support and encourage you

Spending time with people that have similar goals or determination will help boost your own performance. It’s important to surround yourself with moral supporters that will push and support you. This will also make things more fun and enjoyable. Telling others about your goals will also help you with accountability. Just by knowing a loved one or a friend might ask you about your progress will help you feel obligated and honest to stick to the new goals you set for yourself. 

Going into the new year is exciting, yet scary. Prioritizing and creating reasonable goals will ensure your success throughout the year. With these helpful tips, your resolutions will be achieved. So, have an open mind and take on your ultimate goals for 2022!