My 5 Day New Year Resolution

That’s About How Long My New Year’s Resolution Lasts

Every year, every January 1
A new year.
A new resolution.
A new year, I tell myself this is “it.”

It is a new year and we have made commitments to improve ourselves or our lives. However, may of us struggle to stick to those resolutions and end up breaking them. For me, my excitement for the new year, the new promises, the commitments I decide upon, usually fades around day 5.

Why? For many of us it is because:

1. Unrealistic goals: I often wonder if this is a subconscious commitment on our part, setting us up to have a good reason not to continue. Unrealistic expectations can lead to frustration and disappointment, making it more likely to abandon our resolutions. But is it really unrealistic? Or just an idea of something we feel we should do but our heart isn’t really in it?
2. Lack of specific plans: We decide on a resolution but often without a plan on how to achieve those goals. A lack of specific strategies or actions can result in feelings of being overwhelmed or unsure of where to start.
3. Lack of accountability: It’s our resolution, but who is in it with us? Without a support system or accountability measures in place, many of us find it easier to abandon our resolutions. Sharing goals with friends, family, or joining a group with similar objectives can provide motivation and encouragement.
4. Lack of intrinsic motivation: If the resolution is not deeply connected to personal values or desires, we may struggle to find the intrinsic motivation needed to sustain our efforts. We’re back to #1, our heart wasn’t really in it, we just set that resolution because it was influenced by societal expectations or some external influence telling us we should do that.
5. All-or-nothing mindset: We commit fully or not at all. Many of us adopt an all-or-nothing mentality, believing that if we deviate from our resolution even once, we’re done.
6. Overcommitment: We get too enthusiastic and caught up in it’s a New Year, instead, we should prioritize and focus on a few key areas to avoid spreading oneself too thin.
7. Lack of patience: We expect the resolution to happen now so we can return to our daily lives. Sustainable change takes time, and instant results are often unrealistic. Impatience can lead to frustration, causing individuals to abandon their resolutions prematurely.

To increase the likelihood of successfully sticking to a resolution, it can be helpful to set realistic and achievable goals, create a specific plan, seek support and accountability, find intrinsic motivation, cultivate patience, and address any underlying issues that may be impacting progress.

For me, I always start the year thinking it will be a good year but then life happens and it turns into just another year. For me it is best to focus on small goals throughout the year and if something changes for the better, great, if not, oh well, there is always next year.

Happy New Year.