5 New Year’s Resolutions That You Can Succeed At

Every year it seems that we start the same cycle over again. We get excited at a new beginning to start our goals again only to inevitably fail before spring. (Or at least that’s been my experience. I hope it’s been better for you.)

In order to succeed at our new goals for ourselves, we need to think about them differently. Don’t start with everything at once and don’t just make generic goals...eat healthier, work out more, drink more water, be happier, etc. When you do this, you aren’t giving yourself the best success rate possible.

I’m sure most of you have heard the term “SMART goals.” You should come up with goals that are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

I’m not going to tell you how to create SMART goals, but it’s a good thing to keep in mind as you are trying to create obtainable goals for yourself in the new year.

Instead, I’ve come up with a list of goals that you can peruse through to see how you can improve yourself this year. Pick 1 or 2 goals from this list (or come up with your own) and take it one day at a time to better yourself and work towards the healthy lifestyle that you want to achieve.

Self-Awareness

This first set of goals all revolve around self-awareness. You can’t start improving yourself if you don’t even know where to begin.

Identify the things that you want to improve.

Yes, this can be one of your new year’s resolutions. Think about the things that you want to get better at, whether that is eating healthier, becoming stronger, or getting better at a certain hobby. Make a list of these things and check off that new year’s resolution!

Write something you are grateful for each day (or week - you decide).

Showing gratitude helps you to realize the blessings that you have in your life and create a more positive outlook. Daily gratitude can help you start or end your day off on a positive note to create good vibes throughout the day and as you sleep.

Physical Health

It’s a new year, and let’s be real. We all wish something about our physical health was at least a little better than it is now. But as you create goals surrounding your physical health, make sure they are achievable and know that you aren’t going to change everything overnight.

Sometimes you’ll fail, and that’s okay. Just get back up and keep trying. Progress is progress.

Cut something out of your diet for a week.

Planning to go the entire year without drinking a soda or eating a sweet treat is nearly impossible. Take it one week, or even one day, at a time. Choose something that doesn’t contribute well to your health (for me that would be just about anything with sugar), and plan on eliminating that from your diet just for one week.

Notice how you feel, if you’ve lost weight, if your clothes fit better, etc. What changes do you notice in yourself from this small achievement? Use that to help yourself go another week, and another. Starting small can help you be more successful in the long run.

Drink water.

Most people are just not good at drinking water, whether it’s the lack of flavor or just having other things more accessible. Don’t try to drink 8 cups of water each day. If you can, that’s great, but for those of us who aren’t used to drinking a lot of water, this can seem overwhelming.

Just start by drinking some water. Make it a goal to just drink a little more water each day. Sure, this isn’t super measurable, but it can do a lot of good for you. And if you need a measurable goal, start small and try to drink at least 2-3 cups of water each day (one with each meal perhaps).

Mental Wellness

Whether or not we care to admit it, we all struggle with our mental well-being at some point or another. If you have a diagnosed illness or not, it’s important to nurture your mental and emotional well-being.

Now, this is one area where you may need to look inside yourself and come up with specific goals that will help you, but here are some that I think most people can benefit from.

Do something kind each day for a week.

I’m leaving this one pretty open. You can choose to do something kind for yourself or for another person each day. No matter which way you do it, you’ll likely find that you’ve had a better week than you have in a while.

Kindness is contagious. As we show kindness to others, they want to spread that kindness to even more people. And as we show kindness to ourselves, we gain a deeper appreciation for the things we can do and gain a desire to care for ourselves more.

Check out these self-care techniques for some kind things you can do for yourself.

What are your resolutions this year? What will you do to help yourself succeed? I’d love to hear your stories and share them with others.

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