New Year New You, Tips to help make them happen

Making a positive impact on our lives and changing ourselves for the better are some reasons why we all make New Year Resolutions in December. Though they are meant to be practiced throughout the year, very few of us manage to achieve our objectives.

Those who succeed in keeping their resolutions also fail in the initial stages, but the early setbacks strengthen their resolve to achieve their goals. What do they do differently that we lack? The secret of their success can be summed up in the following pointers which you can effectively use to create a “new you” in this New Year.

• Keep realistic resolutions: The fact that the majority of resolutions are broken in a month suggests that they weren’t easily gettable. Draft goals that will be attainable, whether in a couple of months or till the end of the year. The adage, “easier said than done” holds true here. You best know your abilities, limits, and the time you can give; so set your goals accordingly.

• Document your goals: You just don’t make resolutions in your mind and then go on doing them; no one succeeds that way. Write them down on a paper, it makes them “real,” it becomes a visual motivation and accountability for you. While writing, construct them in a positive way. Negative words will keep you stuck in the past, but positive words will spur us on. Instead of writing “I am so unhealthy, I need to exercise every day,” write “To become healthier, I will work out in the gym regularly.”

• Break your resolutions into smaller parts: No goal is achieved in one whole step, in one go. There are small steps to be taken for everything. An essential part of success is to break your goals into smaller chunks. E.g. if you want to lose 12 kg in the whole of 2020, break that into 1 kg per month. That way, thinking about losing 1 kg is achievable than thinking about losing 12 kg at once.

• Develop an action plan: Without a planned strategy, the resolutions are nothing but words on a paper. To do something new, you should know “How to do it,” or else, it’s bound to fail, isn’t it? Make a simple strategy on how will you go in achieving your goals. Your daily schedule may change with time, you know best about what and how much time you will be able to dedicate to your goals per day. Planning individually for every small chunk of your resolution would be a good idea to begin.

• Note down and acknowledge your progress: Keep a track of your activity done on each day. You should regularly update yourself on the progress and know if/where you are falling short in anything. Seeing your everyday progress will motivate you further to do it till you achieve your resolutions. It is also essential to acknowledge and celebrate your success, however small it is. Give a small treat to yourself, once you accomplish one small specified part of your resolution. Remember, you are doing better than the majority of people in the world. It will also encourage you more in the direction of your resolutions.

• Recall the importance of your goals: Even after planning so much, failures may happen. There will come a day when you will lag behind your plan or you will miss a small set goal. At such times, revisit the reasons why you made these resolutions in the first place. Never give up, pick yourself up again and keep going. Think of the positive change, that goal can bring in your life; think of why you want to be a “New You.”

• Team up with others for help: Share your resolutions with others; some of them could be similar to your siblings/friends. If yes, then you may work on them together! Sharing progress and egging each other. If you are slipping, your friends/family will prove crucial in motivating you back again. Ask for their help, suggestions, and guidance; make them your rock support during hard times.

Put yourself in charge of your future and destiny. The path to success will never be a straight line, no two days in life will be the same, stuff will happen. Always be ready with improvisations and modifications to your plans/goals as needed. Never let your guard down, you don’t fail until you accept defeat, until you quit trying, so keep ongoing.