It's that time of year again when people start spouting off what they plan on doing to make themselves better over the next twelve months. January is the month that the fitness centers are packed. January is the month that people diet like it's going out of style. January is the month that people finally give up that bad habit "once and for all". Then February rolls around and the hype of the new year has worn off as well as the gung-ho attitude that most people had concerning their New Year's Resolutions.
There are many reasons why your resolutions fizzle out well before the year is really underway. You may have "cheated" and therefore assume it's not worth continuing. You might not have the support system you need to keep going, especially if you're trying to make a big change. You also might not have really defined what exactly it is you want to do so there is too much leeway in terms on what you can and cannot do to reach your goal.
Here are some tips to help you off to a great start - and carry your new resolutions through until 2008!
Make a plan. Instead of thinking of it as a New Year's resolution, think of it as a goal. That way you can change it, reinvent it and redefine it throughout the year. If your goal is to get fit this year, make short goals to carry you through the year. For January, your goal may be to start training martial arts and attend a training session two times per week. As you move into February, re-evaluate how it's working for you. You may want to add a class or set a goal of mastering a specific move by the end of the month. Having short, attainable goals is more motivating than simply having a vague resolution to "get fit".
Set up a support system. Find a workout partner to go with you or at the very minimum to keep you accountable for reaching your mini-goals. If you cannot find someone "in real life" there is most likely a virtual support group already in place online. These virtual support groups are great because you will likely meet people who have the same struggles and obstacles that you go through on a daily basis to reach your goal and you can swap ideas to help you beat them.
Think about why you really want to reach this goal. If you want to get fit, why do you want to get fit? To avoid disease, to get more energy? To be there for your family? Whatever the reasons are, these can help motivate your throughout the year. Don't be afraid to write down these reasons and post them in a visible spot to remind you every day why you are doing this.
Don't get discouraged. You will have bad days. Expect that that's going to happen. The key to having a bad day in terms of reaching your goal is to not give up. If you have a bad day, just tell yourself that tomorrow is another day and use the new day to get back into the swing of things.
Setting a New Year's resolution is a great idea - if you can take the proper steps to help you stick with it. The biggest thing is to not put it off. If you want to lose weight, stop smoking or get fit start NOW and work your way through the year using small steps and mini goals.
