Now that the end of the year is almost here, it seems as if everybody is talking and thinking about New Year’s resolutions. Out of curiosity I typed “New Year’s Resolutions" in Google and got 125,000,000 results in 0.35 seconds. Overwhelming!
Another curiosity is that every year the 10 top resolutions tend to be the same. What’s more, many times they are the same for the same people!
- More time with family and friends
- More exercise
- Weight loss
- Quit smoking
- Quit drinking alcohol
- Enjoy life more
- Get out of debt
- Learn something new
- Help others
- Get organized
All this is good. If you think about it, if people did most of those things, they would certainly enjoy life more! The problem is that most likely all of those good intentions will be forgotten by the end of February. People will just shrug their shoulders and say: "it's no use, I really want to change, but can never keep my good intentions. Why? Because most people go about it in the wrong way!
Today I decided to concentrate in a few things NOT to do for New Year’s resolutions.
Don’t make too many resolutions
You can't consistently concentrate on too many things at the same time. It’s better to stick to one thing at a time. Once you reach one goal, then go to the next.Don’t be so general
“I will exercise more” does not mean anything, it's not measurable. The only way you’ll establish a new healthy habit is by being very specific and realistic. Therefore, it’s better to say: “I will walk for 20 minutes 4 times a week at 4:30 p.m.” That you can probably stick to. You can also measure your progress easily.
Don’t focus on the negative
People tend to give up when they feel overwhelmed by failure. Therefore, focus on what you want, not in what you don’t want. For example: instead of saying “I will stop being so messy” (which you probably have been saying for many years) say, "I will organize my desk every day at the end of the day." This keeps your focus on what to do, while being realistic and specific.
Don’t expect instant results
Establishing new habits takes time. It takes consistency and enough repetition to make the new behavior easy. When that happens, you have established a new habit. It's now easy to maintain.
Don’t keep it to yourself
If you share your resolution with others, you’ll be more likely to stick to it. Therefore, tell family and friends and ask for their support. You can encourage them too. You don’t have to do it alone!Remember. . .
Some times what you don’t do is as important as what you do. Yes, make resolutions, but don’t fall into the trap of sabotaging yourself even before you start.
Happy New Year!
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Photo by: miquitos