We love the promise of the New Year. This is the time when everything seems possible -- when people wander, bloated and sleepy, out of the holidays and resolve to improve their lives. It's the time when we collectively decide 2011 will be the year to really change things: to lose weight, to be kinder, to save more money. But even now, a few days into 2011, your resolve might already be fading. Don't worry -- you're not alone. Changing your life is hard! Research has shown that 25% of people making New Year's resolutions fail at them within the first week; one particularly depressing study found that almost 9 out of 10 resolutions fail eventually.
Here are some tips to help you beat the system and make those resolutions -- whatever they may be -- a permanent part of your life:
Here are some tips to help you beat the system and make those resolutions -- whatever they may be -- a permanent part of your life:
- Take small steps. You're much more likely to succeed if you break your resolution down into its ingredients. Saying "I'm going to lose weight this year" is intimidating -- saying "I'm going to eat fresh fruit instead of candy today" works much better.
- Stay positive. It's a trick of our psychology: we much prefer to add things to our life than remove them. So why tell yourself to cut something out of your life -- "spend less," "eat less" -- when you could add something else, like "save more" or "eat healthier"?
- Admit that you're human. Everyone slips up now and then. If you miss your weekly trip to the gym, don't let that be an excuse to give up and never go again; 95% of a resolution, or 80%, is better than none.
- Include your friends. Every study shows that if you share your positive goals with your community, you'll be more likely to stick to them. Get friends to make resolutions with you! Or at least, tell them about it, so they can help keep you focused.
- Keep track! Every action that supports your resolution is a victory, and you should treat it that way. Log your actions -- might we even suggest you check them in at DailyFeats -- and in no time you'll have a track record you can be proud of, and draw inspiration from.