No Years Resolutions
No Years Resolution
It’s that time of year where all the new year well wishes are followed by, “what’s your New Years resolution”.
Not only that, there is also a constant flow from brands and people alike bombarding you with the ‘new year, new me’, where we fall into the trap of believing that we owe ourselves and others a new version of who we are.
It almost seems that at this time of year change is a must if we want to be happy.
Our new year’s resolutions often end up being more of what we hate (spending more time in the gym) and less of what we love (eating chocolate)!
As most of us find, year in year out, loading this pressure on ourselves is often very counterproductive with the stress of sticking to it and the disappointment of failing making you feel pretty rubbish, which ultimately can make you avoid attempting positive changes in the future.
One article reports that of those who made resolutions, only a quarter kept all of them (26%), half managed to keep some of them (48%) and around a quarter failed entirely (23%).
However, ‘New year, new me’ is not all bad and it can of course be fun. Heading into the new year with a positive and determined mindset is a great thing… especially when there’s things you want to leave behind!
Some of us like the challenge too and it can really help to push us in the right direction, but for those who dismiss resolutions or find them selves failing to achieve their goals, we have got some tips for you:
Don’t put a time frame on things. Knowing you’re not putting pressure on yourself to achieve these changes by a set date will also give you confidence that if you have a bad day or fall back into old habits, you can pick up where you left off instead of quitting up and beginning over next year.
Take the pressure off, be kind and realistic with your self. Rather than eating clean for a month, make the change more achievable by breaking this down. E.G. Instead of no ‘bad’ foods (which would be pretty dull and make you feel that way too), try first of all just limiting it to one treat meal per week.
Actively measure your progress, this will help you see what you are achieving and keep pushing you to continue.
Whenever possible, piggy-back on an existing habit. It’s a lot easier than trying to introduce and adopt a new habit.
Allow your self to have bad days – What matters is the long term. While you might occasionally fail, see a setback as just a setback – not a deal breaker.
New year, new me… a phrase that is all about becoming who you aspire to be – and no timescale can be put on that!
What do you think about New Years resolutions, have you set any this year?
Share your thoughts on the topic in our comments box.
