It’s getting to be that time of year again. When most of the holiday festivities are over, you may find yourself wondering what you can do to improve next year. New Year’s Resolutions are pretty common and often thought of as empty promises, but that doesn’t mean that they have to be. Commitment is key and if you apply these tips to your resolution, you’re much more likely to get the results that you want.

Some common New Year’s Resolutions include:

-Getting Organized

-Being More Money Conscious

-Quitting a Bad Habit

-Travelling

-Learning Something Newnew year’s

-Spending More Time with Loved Ones

-Living a Fuller Life

-Making Healthier Choices

 

Below are some tips on how to make your resolution stick:

Create Your Goal:

Your resolution is up to you, but the best approach in selecting one is to choose one specific goal that is reasonable and realistic. Make your goal attainable. Starting small can drastically improve your chance of success.

Select a Time Frame:

Assess how long it will realistically take to achieve your goal. Often, there are factors that may serve as roadblocks, but that doesn’t mean that you have to give up. You can account for obstacles before they happen and plan to find a solution.

Research Your Goal:

Arm yourself with knowledge that can give you an edge when you’re in the midst of change. Even learning the benefits and setbacks ahead of time can greatly improve your chance of success.

Outline a Plan:

Start with smalls steps and plan to take it 24 hours at a time. If obstacles do arise, you may want to have a backup plan that can allow you to get back on track when you’re ready.

Track Your Progress:

You might want to journal the steps you’ve take each day and any changes that came from them. This can reinforce your commitment and help you stay motivated. You can even plan rewards for your achievements, but planning on “cheat” days might prove to be less beneficial in the long run.

Talk About It:

Sharing your resolution with others, as well as your progress, can be highly motivating and also create a sense of accountability. Support can be really helpful, but your success comes down to your own actions. Remember that change is a process, so every time you recommit, you may be inspiring others to improve themselves also.

Learn from Your Mistakes:

You’ll likely face struggles, but even if you mess up, you can try again tomorrow. Hone your plan as you go to factor in potential risks and don’t beat yourself up. These experiences can prove to be insightful.

Renew Your Motivation:

If you find yourself straying away from your goal, reignite that fire by remembering why you chose your goal. Reevaluate the benefits of your efforts and find resources that can hype you up all over again.

Stick with It:

There may be times where settling for your old ways seems like the better choice, but those moments will pass. As you do find yourself working for your future, you’ll beginning seeing the results that make all of the difficulties worthwhile.

Go to the Next Level:

If you find that you’re doing well and you begin taking on new goals, remember that these goals should be about self-improvement. Don’t overload yourself with too many goals until they’re all unmanageable. Pacing yourself can help keep your new found habits effective without sending you into a world of chaos when trying to take on too many changes.

Remember, your New Year’s Resolution should be something that matters to you. If you really want it, keep trying. Taking it one day at a time can change your whole future.

From all of us at Fifthroom.com, have a Happy New Year.