How to Accomplish Your New Year's Resolutions

Like most people, you've probably made resolutions in the past that went unfulfilled. It's easy to give up on making resolutions because you've convinced yourself you just can't change. Don't be too hard on yourself.

Edit Steps

Part 1: Creating resolutions

Find a place where you can sit and reflect. Have a pen and paper available, or a tablet device if preferred.

Think about changes and improvements you'd like to make. These can be about anything, not just the usual "quit smoking and lose weight" big guns everyone associates with New Year's resolutions. Start a list to jot down some notes. Ask yourself the following questions to get you started and then add questions of your own:
- What can I do to improve my health?
  - Drink more water?
  - Quit smoking?
  - Avoid unhealthy food? Avoid all fast food? Fried foods? Red meat?
  - Eat fish twice a week? How about more fiber, beans, whole grains?
  - Take vitamins each day?
  - Go to the gym? How often? Maybe start off going once a week but increase by one day each month for the next few months.
- What can I do to be a better parent?
  - Can you attend a sporting event or other activity each week?
  - Can you proofread papers or help with homework?
  - Can you take your kids on an educational trip over the summer? Can you take a weekend and see a historical location or museum? You don't have to travel far; it could just be a day trip.
- What can I do to be a better friend?
  - Make a list of everyone's birthday and address to send cards.
  - Contact or visit a friend you haven't seen in years.
  - Are there "friends" you need to get rid of? Are they unhealthy or negative?
- What can I do to be more successful at work?
  - Can you keep your files and desk more organized?
  - Get up 20 minutes earlier to get to work on time?
- What can I do to be happier at work?
  - Learn to say no to the procrastinators.
  - Don't skip lunch no matter how busy you are.
  - Take your vacation days instead of putting the company first.
  - Get some exercise or be involved in networking during lunchtime.
- Consider more external changes in your life, the ways that you can make a difference through activism, awareness raising or promoting a cause. Ask yourself questions such as:
  - What can I do to improve the world?
  - Change the light bulbs in the house to the energy efficient bulbs.
  - Choose a hybrid or high-mileage car.
  - How do I get the best gas mileage you can out of the car you have?
  - How can I reduce waste?
  - Are you recycling as much as you can?
  - How can I become an activist? , volunteer or just recycle a little more.]]

Look over your list and see what items on it are most important to you. Don't take too long choosing; often it's the things that leap out at you straight away that have the most meaning for you personally.

Don't just address the big battles. Think of the smaller habits that turn into big problems when not addressed. Indeed, it is often smaller, more discreet resolutions that are most effective and that can be built upon to reach bigger overall goals. Try to be realistic and adjust any goals that may be too hard to tackle.
- Break down larger goals into smaller actions. For example: Instead of resolving to lose 30 pounds in the following year, you can resolve to cut out fast food, soft drinks, sugary snacks and drinks, drink more water, and walk three days a week until March, and then gradually add in two days at the gym. Before you know it, your 30 pounds will be gone, almost as if by stealth. Instead of having the 30 pounds goal looming over your head, you can chip away at it by achieving your smaller resolutions. In the long run you'll be much healthier and much more likely to maintain the weight loss as you've formed a new lifestyle pattern instead of a deprivation regime.

Make your list of resolutions. Don't make a short list of huge goals. Make a list with many smaller goals. If you need to put down 20 resolutions, go for it!

Sit down with your family and friends and discuss your goals and why you made them. Ask for their support on these goals throughout the year. If possible, team up and visit the gym or shop at the health food store together. Ask them to speak up if you slip and order a Diet Coke instead of a water, or forget another goal on your list.

Print or write out copies of your resolutions. Save a copy on each computer or electronic device you own, such as your cell phone, tablet, eReader or MP3 player (if it accepts notes).
- Email a copy to your work address.
- Make a smaller copy and keep it in your wallet.
- Post a copy on the outside of your refrigerator! Use bright paper so it catches your eye and don't let it get hidden behind coupons and artwork.
- If possible, post a copy up at the office or your place of business. Consider sharing your list with an office friend. You'll have that support system everywhere you go.

Congratulations! Your resolutions have been made. Keep checking back to your list daily to keep your eye on the ball. Don't be afraid to add new goals throughout the year.

Keep at it. The best goals in the world will do no good if you don't follow through with consistent actions.

Part 2: Keeping resolutions

Develop a time-activated plan under each goal. For the top three goals you listed, make a detailed, achievable plan. For example, for losing weight, ask yourself how you will do that. Will you stop eating carbs? Cut calories? Go to the gym three times a week for 20 minutes at a time?

Start following your plan immediately. Don't wait for inspiration to strike. The best thing to do is start on January 1 and start tracking your progress. ^[1]

Create accountability. Set up dates for evaluation with a mentor. This helps you to stay focused and evaluates methods for improvement. It's even better if you find someone who has the same resolution.

Remind yourself about your goals. For every day on your calendar or schedule, write down what you will do for that day, what time you will do it, and don't forget to actually do it, no matter how busy you are. They're called challenging for a reason!

Focus on the process rather than the end goal. Take each step one at a time and be happy with your progress. The only way you'll get to where you want to go is to complete every small step along the way, checking it off with pride as you accomplish each step.

Create your environment so that you will accomplish your goals. For example, set your running shoes next to the door, put fruits and veggies in the front of the fridge.

Reward yourself for a job well done: determine ahead of time what rewards will be at small milestones of accomplishment. Have frequent small rewards and the "Grand Prize" for completion. It's even better if this grand prize is contingent on what you're aiming to achieve, such as running the marathon if you train hard enough, buying a new wardrobe of clothing if you meet your target weight, going on an overseas vacation if you save enough money, etc.

Part 3: The dreaded wane in enthusiasm

Accept that your enthusiasm will wane over time. It can be hard to maintain your motivation and dedication to making a change in your life when you can't see immediate results for your efforts. At each low point, have faith that persisting and being consistent in reaching your goal will pay off in the long run. This is why the small milestone rewards matter so much because they confirm that you're achieving.

Don't choose goals that deliberately sabotage your desire to change. Four days on your all-pineapple diet is going to seem like forever and it'll be small wonder you toss it in. Choosing a goal wisely means ensuring that the goal is something you can stick to because it contains moderation, variety and breaks. For example, instead of an all-pineapple diet, have a balanced fruit and vegetable one that allows for the occasional treat. You're going to be far more enthused about sticking to it.

Face your fear of change. Fearing change often stops us from achieving a goal. It sounds good at the time we resolve to change but then in the doing, the fear surfaces and swamps us. To avoid this happening to you, realize that your excuses are a way of covering up a fear of change. Excuses might allow you to be lenient on yourself but they are also a way of giving up responsibility and sabotaging your own power.
- Look beyond "I can't" and start substituting this with "I can" and "I am".
- Identify your excuses for not going through with parts of your goal. By listing excuses, you can see them for what they are and move beyond the fear of change.
- Sidestep blaming other people or circumstances for not achieving your goals. If you take responsibility for achieving your goal, these external factors cannot sap your power to do what you've said you'd do.

List your self-defeating behaviors and deal with them. You might prefer to spend time playing Bejeweled on the iPad instead of completing your work report, but is the choice going to get you up the corporate ladder? Hardly. Write down the things you do to distract yourself from what really matters. Then, list things that you consider to be more positive and fulfilling behaviors and choices you want to make instead.

Begin again without any recriminations. When you fall off track with your resolution, use the next Monday as the day to recommit. Healthy Monday, a non-profit national public health campaign association with Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, encourages people to use Monday as the day for health and disease prevention. If you have a weekly chance to get back on track with your New Year's Resolution, you'll have a greater chance of success.

Lean on your support team. Whoever you've chosen to help you, be it family, friends, a life coach, therapist, or someone else, lean on them to support you through times of weakness, when you need a booster to get back on track. Don't expect to do this completely alone; look for other people's advice, ideas and feedback to help you keep going.

Keep a gratitude journal. Document at least one thing every single day in the following year for which you feel grateful. What memorable moments can you draw from each day? In what ways did you grow today or find that your awareness shifted? Keeping note of this will help you to stay grounded and motivated.

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Edit Tips

Don't get discouraged if you slip. By checking your list frequently you can stay on track or refocus after a bad spell.

Try to volunteer each year. Whether you volunteer alone or with your family, it sets a good example.

Don't try to plan your resolutions when you're in a bad mood or pressed for time. Taking time to make a thoughtful list will make your goals easier to achieve.

Here's a great resolution: Purge your closets of all those clothes you haven't worn in years. Donate them to a charity or to a homeless outreach facility.

Out of the following 12 months, choose one day a month to be your "amazing" day. On this day, make a deliberate choice to do things that blow your mind. It might be visiting places in your city as a tourist, trying something you've never done before, like bungee jumping or riding a horse, or taking time to take your children to events that they'll be awe-inspired by. Try to vary each of these days and not involve them with your actual resolutions. These are simply days to let down your hair, rediscover the joy of living and to have a great, wonderful time finding out that the world is an incredible place to be a part of.

Consider setting up a little competition with your family or friends to keep focused on a tough goal. Should the loser buy a healthy lunch? Maybe take a family vacation to a great beach if everyone hits their goals by July.

Edit Warnings

Picking unrealistic goals can really lower morale when you can't meet the goals. Start small.

Research your Goal(s). Often, we can't complete a New Year's Resolution because we do not understand the process, gudielines and do not see the 'big picture'.