It’s a cliche, but it’s true – every year we make the same resolutions, such as to cut down on chocolate or exercise more, and every year we end up breaking them before February’s even arrived.
In fact, it’s estimated that a huge 80% of New Year resolutions are abandoned within a few weeks or months.
But if you really are determined to make 2018 the year you finally give up smoking or start going to the gym, there are ways you can achieve this.
According to psychologist Suzy Reading, author of The Self-Care Revolution, the main reason we don’t achieve our New Year goals is because we pick the wrong ones.
She told Stylist that we usually set ourselves negative resolutions based on what we think we should be achieving rather than what we really want to. Instead, she says we should be setting ‘intrinsic’ goals that are ‘personally rewarding and inspiring’.
This means resolutions that are ‘authentic’ and ‘rooted in your own deeply-held values, interests and beliefs’.
What this means in practice is that, before you decide on what goals you want to set for the upcoming year, it’s best to really take some time to consider what you want to achieve and what you want your life to look like, rather than just going with what you think is expected of you.
Suzy then recommends framing them in a positive way, so they become something you look forward to achieving, rather than a chore. ‘Rather than cut down on TV, set the goal to read or go out in nature more often,’ she explains.
‘Framing your goals positively makes a difference to your thinking, energy, motivation and self-esteem.’
We’re off to put this to the test in time for the 31st!
