There are only a few days left in 2019, and the dawn of a brand-new year will soon be upon us. Like most people, you may be adopting a “new year, new you” mindset. However, humans are fallible, and some estimates suggest
80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail, as people find their enthusiasm waning by February. This coming year, strive to be one of the rare few who successfully keeps your resolutions with these tips.
1. Write a Plan
One of the most significant pitfalls facing people around this time of year is failure to plan. Waiting until the last minute is a recipe for disaster if you’re hoping to make a major behavioral overhaul. Begin by writing down what you hope to achieve, along with a list of things you might do to achieve it and any roadblocks you might encounter along the way. By outlining exactly what you want to get done and the obstacles that could stand in your path, you’ll be well on your way to stick to your resolution and stay motivated for the long haul.
2. Only Make One Resolution
You may have a laundry list of things you want to improve about yourself. However, another mistake people tend to make when setting their resolutions is that they try to take on too much at a time. Expecting to be able to change multiple aspects of your lifestyle in one fell swoop is unrealistic because forming new habits takes
longer than you might think. Focusing your energy on only one major objective makes it more likely that you will succeed in accomplishing what you set out to do.
3. Don’t Be Too Vague
When setting goals, too many of us resolve to do ambiguous things like “getting in shape” or “saving more money” without outlining what that looks like and what steps you can take to get there. For example, instead of telling yourself you want to get in shape, resolve instead to train for a 5K, 10K or half-marathon a few months from now. If your goal is to pad your savings account, specify the exact dollar amount you will put aside each month.
4. Get Support
Another way to stay accountable to your goals is to share them with trusted friends and family members, and ask for their help when you feel your motivation flagging. They can help you stay on track and remind you of why it’s worth it to continue to work toward your aims.
5. Don’t Repeat Yourself
You may have heard the adage, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Our final tip for keeping yourself out of a resolution rut is to stop making the same goal year after year, hoping one of these years will finally be the time it sticks. However, if you’ve already tried and failed, it’s likely your confidence level will be lower. Shake things up and go a different direction instead.
Make 2020 Your Year to Succeed
Are you ready for the year ahead to be your best yet? If one of your goals has been to free yourself from the chains of substance abuse and equip yourself with the
tools to manage your addiction and live a healthy, sober life,
contact us at Hope Academy to learn more about our California addiction treatment center for young adults.
