If you’re like most of America, you probably made some grand plans for your new year’s resolutions. Maybe you’ve decided to ring in 2020 by committing to a new exercise routine. Or you’re planning on losing some weight, kicking a bad habit, or committing to a new routine. But most of us will fail to stick to a resolution for even 30 days. There’s even a holiday in honor of all of us who fail; January 17th is national “Ditch Your New Year’s Resolution Day”.
So what can we do to increase our chances of sticking to positive change in 2020? Here are a few tips and tricks that will increase the likelihood of making lasting change this year.
Choose just one or two things to focus on.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of the “new year, new me” mindset. You decide to change everything about your lifestyle all at once. Go on a diet. Cut out sugar, alcohol and caffeine. Workout six days a week. Wake up at 5 a.m. every day. But committing to doing too many things at once increases the likelihood that you’ll get overwhelmed and give up on everything. So choose just one or two things to commit to, and you’ll feel more empowered to stick to your goals.
Find a support system.
Finding an accountability partner or support group is a great way to stay motivated and have fun working towards your goals. There are Facebook groups for just about anything these days. For example, the group Dry January Community Group has over 3,000 members committing to “going dry” in January and achieving 30 days without alcohol. Online community groups provide support and encouragement from others who are working towards the same goal. If you’re working towards a fitness related goal, consider taking some group classes where you can make some new friends who share your interests.
Go easy on yourself.
Choose goals that are attainable, and create a plan that allows you to enjoy the process along the way. If you choose a goal that is too far out of reach, you’ll feel overwhelmed from the start and it will be easy to tell yourself, “I’ll never get there”. So rather than trying to force yourself to exercise every day for the entire year, start by committing to a yoga class or going for a run once a week. See how you feel, get some small wins under your belt, and increase your goals from there.
No matter what your resolutions are this year, enjoy the process. Try not to be too hard on yourself. The new year is a great time for starting new things (or ditching old habits), but taking action towards positive change at any time of the year is better than doing nothing at all. What are your resolutions for this year? We want to know! Drop a comment below. And of course, if you are committing to improving your yoga practice in 2020, we hope to see you in class!
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