New Year’s Resolutions

By: Sarah Petzold, MS

New Year’s resolutions are a fairly common phenomenon in today’s world. The New Year always feels like an exciting, magical time for people to “start over” or have a “clean slate.” Many times, it’s an opportunity to change an undesired behavior or accomplish a personal goal.

In October 2023, a recent Forbes Health study surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults. The results found that these as the top 10 New Year’s resolutions for 2024:

·  Improve fitness.

·  Improve finances.

·  Improve mental health.

·  Lose weight.

·  Improve diet.

·  Make more time for loved ones.

·  Stop smoking.

·  Learn a new skill.

·  Make more time for hobbies.

·  Improve work-life balance.

These are great goals but pushing through for 365 days a year is more of a challenge than it seems.

How many times have you declared that beginning January 1st, you’re going to change. Either you’re going to start eating healthier to combat the extra holiday pounds, or you’re going to begin an exercise routine to get in shape. Perhaps you’ve considered quitting smoking to improve your physical health, or you’d like to spend less time scrolling through TikToks and more time focusing on your mental wellbeing. How many times have you actually followed through on the resolution?

According to the same study, the average New Year’s resolution lasts only 3.74 months. Only 8% of respondents tend to stick with their goals for one month, while 22% last two months, 22% last three months, and 13% last four months.

If you’ve found yourself struggling to commit to New Year’s resolutions, you’re not alone. Actually, failing at New Year’s resolutions is so common, some people have begun to note the second Friday in January as “Quitter’s Day” because it’s when a large number of people ditch their New Year’s resolutions for good.

So it’s not all that common that people actually stick to the goals and resolutions they’ve set. Yet everyone does want to change. Here are a couple tips to help stick to those New Year’s resolutions:

1.  Link your goals to your values.

Reflect on what’s important to you about these goals and why you want to accomplish them. Perhaps you’d like to develop a fitness routine because you value your physical health and want to model a healthy lifestyle for your children. Perhaps you would like to stick to a budget because you value financial security and stability. Whatever your hopes are for the coming year, think about the deeper reason of why you want to accomplish these goals. Having a strong “why” can help you stay committed and disciplined when you’re struggling with motivation.

2.  Choose a specific goal and create short-term and long-term objectives.

Many times, people select ambiguous goals such as the desire to “lose weight” or “get in shape.” The problem with these goals is that they are difficult to measure, often unattainable, and overwhelming. Instead, choose a specific, achievable goal such as, “losing 10 pounds” or “running a half-marathon.” Even these goals can feel overwhelming at times, which is why creating short-term and long-term objectives can be helpful. Focusing on small steps like “exercising for 5 minutes a day” can help build confidence and propel you to take bigger steps in the future such as “exercising four times per week.”

3.  Remember that change is a process and be kind to yourself.

Most people would love overnight change. It’d be nice if you could wave a magic wand and all your problems would go away. But that’s not realistic. The unhealthy habits or patterns you’ve adopted have probably taken years to develop, so it only makes sense that it’ll take time to unlearn those things and develop healthier habits and ways of thinking. Understand that change takes time, and the real goal of New Year’s resolutions is lifestyle changes that are sustainable over a long period of time. You may stumble or mess up, but you can always get back on track. Be patient and kind to yourself along the way. You’re only human after all.

If you feel you would benefit from assistance in making some positive changes in your life, please do not hesitate to contact us at Gryzbek Therapy Services to schedule an appointment.