Are you excited about 2015 coming to an end? For making 2016 your year?
Or are you one of the people that say "new year, new me"?
More than likely, you already have your big list of new year resolutions and chances are high that they are exactly the same resolutions that you had for 2015 (and the years before).
So what's holding us back from becoming the person we want to be in the new year? Why is it so hard do make real changes?
After all, most of our resolutions are meant to make us healthier and happier - like quitting smoking, exercising more, starting a new hobby, or learning new skills.
Unfortunately, most of the times we set ourselves up for failure before we even start the new year. We make mistakes when planning our resolutions that we do not even realize and find ourselves struggling to adapt the changes - or we simply forget about them.
So let's look at the reasons that cause our new year's resolutions to fail and how to prevent them!
1. We Make To Many Resolutions
With the year coming to an end we get super excited about the endless possibilities that the new year represents. We can't wait to make changes and become the best version of ourselves. No surprise that we tend to make too many resolutions! In a perfect world, we would make a list with all the things we want to change, work on them for 1 or 2 weeks, and then we would be exactly the person we have always wanted to be. Unfortunately, it does not work like that. We want to be perfect, which is already an impossible (and exhausting!) task, so we think about all the things we have to change (new flash: there is no way to achieve perfection). Having too many resolutions, even if they are good and healthy ones, will overwhelm you and lead to not keeping any of them.
Solution: Focus on one resolution at the time
Pick one that is really important to you and manageable at the same time. This gives you the chance to fully concentrate on the one thing you want to achieve without feeling exhausted.
2. We Don't Set Realistic And Specific Goals
Once we decided on what we want to work on in the new year, we would like to achieve it as soon as possible (putting minimal work in it while hoping to reach our goal in no time). We would like to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks, learn a new language within a day or get the promotion we think we deserve right away. If the reality does not meet our expectations and we do not achieve our goals as fast as we want to, we lose our motivation. By having unrealistic anticipations we set ourselves up for failure - before even starting to do anything. I'm not saying that we have to lower our expectations - we are fully capable of achieving great things - but we have to be realistic about the amount of work, afford, and time we have to put it in. Also, we have to make our goals as specific as possible. Saying that we, for example, want to be healthier is not enough. Not being specific about what we want to accomplish and the "how" will keep us from successfully adapting changes.
Solution: Be specific, realistic and plan ahead!
Write down exactly what you would like to realize and in what time frame, but be realistic about what's achievable! Plan ahead by marking your goals in a calendar and set reminders for the times you want to work on them. Also, think about how to achieve them - make a game plan!
3. Lack Of Support System
Don't underestimate the influence of positive support. Without it, you might not have the motivation and emotional strength to keep going after a bad day or set back. Or you might even forget about your schedule. Sometimes you tell people about your plans and goals and instead receiving good feedback and strong support, all you get is negativity. None of this will help you when working on your goals. It's important that you have a strong support system that will uplift and encourage you.
Solution: Surround yourself with positive and supporting people
Tell people about your plans and why they are important to you. The better your support system understands you, the more they can help and remind you of why you are doing it. You support can consists of friends, family and co-workers. They might even offer you help (for example with additional information and tips) or decide to accompany on your journey (nothing motivates more than somebody to hold you accountable and to share experiences with).
What are your resolutions for the new year? And how are you planning to achieve them? Share your personal game plan with me! :)
picture sources: health.com / tumblr
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