How to keep your new year resolutions

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Happy New Year Edgefly Readers!
How were your new year celebrations? I hope you were able to spend it with the people you love, whether it was with your grandparents or your best friends. Although, what I would really like to ask you is how your New Year resolutions are coming along.

New Year resolutions

Congratulations, you half-way through the first month of your resolutions! For some of you, your resolutions couldn't be better, some have already abandoned your resolution, others may have quickly adopted a new one, or if you are like me you couldn't think of one on New Years (so it's kind of a win-win situation, eh?). If you are having problems choosing or sticking to a resolution, read on!

Resolution basics

A resolution is usually a goal you would like to achieve by next year, or a change of habit, behavior, perspective, or outlook. Reminisce over the events of 2010 and try to reflect on what went well, what can improve, and anything else you would like to change or add for 2011. For most, this is losing weight, being more active, improving grades, etc. but this can also be applied to your personal outlook. Perhaps trying to gossip less or maybe pushing yourself out of your comfort zone are some possible resolutions.

Sticking to your resolution

The hardest part about making a resolution is actually sticking to it! We all set the goal to go to the gym "5 days a week for 2 hours!" but by a week or so into January this usually isn't the case. Instead, we beat ourselves up lamenting over our broken promise. But this doesn't have to be! When setting (or re-setting) your resolution, try to keep it within reality. We would all love to hit the gym for 2 hours a day 7 days a week, but this usually isn't possible within the first month. Instead, be reasonable with your resolution. If your schedule only allows 3 days a week, then thats perfectly fine! If, 6 months from now, you have conquered this goal and are looking for a challenge, alter your resolution and go to the gym more! The idea is not to put too much on your plate in the first month, so you will be more likely to stick to the goal and not be easily discouraged.

Make subsets

Lets say your resolution was to go to the gym 5 days a week, and you are finding it a little difficult to do so. Break your resolution into smaller goals, and focus on conquering one goal at a time! For example, for the first week attend the gym only once a week, and then twice a week in the second week, and three times in the third! If you break it down into specific goals it may be a lot easier to achieve (and stick to!). Hopefully this will also remove any frustration you may have in the first month(s) of your resolution when you haven't achieved your goal.

Reward yourself

Use positive reinforcement to help you stick to your resolution! If you were able to go to the gym as many times as you wanted, then reward yourself with a night in watching How I met your mother or buying that sweater you've had your eye on. By setting a reward for each goal you accomplish, you will be even more motivated to conquer them! The difficult part is self disciple, don't reward yourself if you didn't do it! (Sounds like self discipline in itself deserves a reward, don't you think?). One possibility is to take away something you really want, and reward yourself when you accomplished your goal. If you have a friend or roommate, have them issue your rewards! Its more fun when you have others to support you!

7 highly effective habits

I read the "7 habits of highly effective teens" by Stephen Covey back when I was in middle school. His book discusses how to change habits and set goals in a way that is (pardon the pun) very effective! I would recommend reading the book or at least read over the summary from wikipedia. If you wanted to make attendance at the gym a habit, how often you attend would have to be consistent. How long it takes to form a habit ranges between people and what the habit is, so it can take between 7 and 21 days for an action to become habit. That's a lot shorter than it sounds!

What were your new year resolutions?