New Year's Resolutions - Tips to Keep Them Once and For All

by Jenn Heller

Every year we make them and no doubt we hate ourselves a few days later when we break them.  Studies show that 94% of people keep their resolutions for just ONE MONTH.  New Years Eve is always the time when we reflect on the past and begin planning for the future.  We commit to change with fierce determination to do better.  Whether it be better eating, exercise, saving money, quit smoking, less drinking, you name it …  we all somehow make them.  

Let’s face it, 2020 has been an incredibly difficult year!  It came in with a bang, we were determined to rise above whatever 2019 dealt us and conquer our resolutions.  Cut to March, COVID-19 hit and 2020 took a complete dumpster dive.  By November I personally was ready to light 2020 on fire and couldn’t wait for the holidays to be done and to begin a new year with a new outlook, drive and determination.

When asked what my New Year Resolution would be it was initially to drink less.  Do I drink too much?  Well, no but I do enjoy my 2 glasses of wine each evening and I don’t foresee giving that up anytime soon.  Perhaps the TYPE of resolution you make can better determine your success?

Here some tips to choosing your resolution and making it stick: 

• Put your resolution into a routine and make it easy-to-follow -  It is more likely to stick if you make it a habit.
• Make your resolution realistic - The more decisions and options there are, the less self control there is.
• Start small -  Want to exercise more?  Don’t aim for a daily regimen.  Start with 3 days a week and work your way up from there. Psychologists suggest we make small reasonable changes that we slowly incorporate into our daily life.  Let’s face it, behavioral changes are hard to make.
• Change one behavior at a time -  Don’t overload with changes all at once.  Take baby steps.  Achieving even just one goal can boost your self-belief tremendously.
• Make a plan -  When we go on vacation we plan accordingly.  Why wouldn’t we do the same with our goals and resolutions?  Put it in writing.  Psychologists say that written plans are usually more attainable and we feel more accountable to them.
• Talk about it -   Your biggest fans and cheerleaders are those closest to you.  Keep them informed and allow them to hold you accountable.
• Don’t beat yourself up -  We aren’t perfect and never will be.  Go back to baby steps and keep taking them.  Even if you have a misstep it’s okay to start over.  Don’t let quitting be an option.
• Change is a process - Whatever you are trying to change has most likely taken years to develop so changing it won’t take just days to stop.  Be patient!  It’s a marathon not a sprint.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

about The Author

Jenn Heller is the Operations Manager for The Volen Group, a top real estate team in Ponte Vedra Beach. Jenn has over 20 years of real estate experience in Ponte Vedra Beach and is a resident of Atlantic Beach.