New Year Resolutions

            Many of us make New Year resolutions at the start of each year.  I wonder how among us who have this habit actually follow their resolution until the end of that year.  For many, I’m sure the resolutions get forgotten into oblivion by the end of the year. 

For this week’s entry, I wanted to write about what it takes for a person to make a New Year resolution into a new habit, a new pattern of behavior.  For starters, the resolution must be positively stated.  That means that you need to know how exactly you want to behave.  You need to define the behavior and the steps required to fulfill what you want to accomplish.  Saying that you will stop doing this or that you will not do something is not enough.  You need to actually say what you will be doing instead, rather than just saying what you will be doing less of. 

One of the most common resolutions I have heard concerns losing weight.  This is a classic because it is so easy to say how one can achieve this goal:  simply eat less and exercise more.  As many people who make this their resolution at one point or another, they find themselves failing because they did not define the behaviors that will lead them to their goal.   

Whatever you plan on changing, you need to be clear what your goal is.  This goal needs to be relevant to you, and realistic to achieve.  For example, you cannot lose 20 kilos in a month because this can cause more damage than you had intended.  Targeting 1-2 kilograms a month might be enough as a minimum.  Then, measurable behaviors need to be quantified and clearly described (e.g., walking on a treadmill for 45 minutes at least 3 times a week).  This is integral in establishing a way of measuring your rate of success and following through with your resolution. 

You might then want to think of the helps and hindrances that lie ahead.  What you need to do is to capitalize on what can help you achieve your goal (e.g., getting a friend who has similar goals to go with you), and minimize the possible setbacks you anticipate (e.g., focusing on the veggies, salads, and fruits when you attend gatherings and parties).  In understanding these factors, you help yourself focus on fulfilling the goals you have set for yourself. 

You also need to find ways to reward yourself for being able to stick to your plans.  This should be part of your whole strategy.  Getting small rewards on a weekly or semi-monthly basis might be a good practice, and helps sustain your new behaviors.  Whereas some favorite dessert might be the reward for a person dieting, other forms of rewards (e.g., a movie or a relaxing time with a friend) can also be arranged. 

When you are equipped with strategies on how you can sustain your new behaviors, you are ready to commit to your goals.  Write down the details and how you are going to reward yourself when you have achieved your goals.  You can also get a friend to be a witness to your commitment to yourself.  With this, you are ready to face the world of creating new habits and behaviors.   

Happy New Year and all the best in your resolutions!