A New Year’s Resolution is as much a part of the New Year celebration as champagne and fireworks. The New Year implies a new and fresh start and so many people decide what new and fresh start they want to make. Of course, almost as traditional as making a New Year’s Resolution is the breaking of a New Year’s Resolution. But this year will be different. I know, I know, you say that every year, but this year it really will be different because you are going to learn a little about how to make and keep your New Year’s Resolution.
Step number one to making and keeping your New Year’s Resolution is to keep it simple. Too many times people decide that this year, they will resolve to become perfect, but in many, many more words. Think really hard about what you want to really change about you. Write them down on a piece of paper. Then take a long, hard look at that list. If you could only change one thing about you, what would it be? Whatever your number one pick is, make that your New Year’s Resolution.
Step number two is to really think about what you want to accomplish. You have picked your one New Year’s Resolution, but what does it really mean. So, you are going to lose weight. How do you plan on doing that? How much weight did you want to lose? And remember to keep your plan realistic. Sorry, but promising to become a size 2 when you’ve never been smaller than a size 8 is probably a bit unrealistic.
Step number three is to break your resolution down into mini-resolutions. If your resolution is to relax more, your mini-resolutions might be that in two months, you will be taking at least a half hour a week to pamper yourself. In four months, you will be saying no to at least one person a week. And so on and so forth. Mini-resolutions are much easier to keep than the big, general one is.
Step number four is to remind yourself constantly what your New Year’s Resolution is. Write down your resolution, add it to you calendar, put it in your PDA and tell just about everyone you can think of about your New Year’s Resolution. The more you see and hear about your resolution, the more you are likely to follow it.
Number five, is to be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day and even the greatest of people had their off days. Keep after your New Year’s resolution goal and if you fall off the proverbial wagon, just climb back up. Don’t feel like you failed or that you can’t do it. Keep after it and eventually you will see results.
Last, but not least, is to reward yourself. Decide how you will reward yourself when you reach your final New Year’s resolution. Make it something big and special that you will only do if you reach your final goal. Also make mini-rewards that you can have when you complete your mini-resolutions. These can be little treats you can give yourself, like a new DVD or an ice cream cone (even if your resolution is to lose weight.)
If you follow these steps, chances are that next year at this time you will be finding yourself thinking of a new New Year’s Resolution, because the one you made this year was met with flying colors.