New Year’s Resolutions ?

Every year in the past I have made New Year’s resolutions that are big and lofty. Every year I have “failed” in some aspect of the New Year’s resolution by the end of January. Studies shows that 70% or more of us fail by then and that number continues to rise throughout February. I’ve always chosen huge goals and that’s not working for me. Instead of making a New Year’s Resolution for 2024, I will practice creating better habits. Habits are what help you reach your goals. Habits are the foundation on which you can achieve better health goals and success in other areas of your life. 

I’ll be practicing a new conscious habit in January and track my progress in implementing it and making it a subconscious habit that I don’t need to consciously think about. This way habits become second nature. I am going to choose 12 habits that will bring changes in my life and implement them this way, one at a time. Each habit will be supportive of my health goals. They will be small and easy to achieve and build upon.

Small Habits, Bigger Results

The first habit I want to start with is daily movement. I go in spurts of being more active then get into a sedentary and lazy phase. I think about a 30 minute workout and do all the negative talk about how I don’t have time, I don’t feel like it so I will do it tomorrow. When tomorrow comes, I have a whole new crop of excuses. So, I am starting with just 5 minutes. I have time for 5 minutes. I know that once I get downstairs into our home gym and actually get going, 5 minutes will go fast and I will more than likely do more than 5 minutes. But I only have to commit to 5 minutes. I can do that. I can pat myself on the back for 5 minutes or 10 if I go longer. If I said I’d do 30 minutes and then I only achieve 20 minutes, then I didn’t achieve what I said I’d do and the negative self-talk will tell me that I was a failure because I didn’t accomplish what I set out to do. 

Other habits I will  create include consistent routines for journalling and mediation. I will tackle these goals, building upon my earlier habits that are now working smoothly. I know myself and when I try to do too many things at once, I become overwhelmed and do nothing. So this year my approach will be different.

Have you tried to make new year’s resolutions only to have a slip and then completely throw in the towel? I feel ya. Part way through 2023, I started habit stacking.  I read about habit building stacking in James Clear’s fantastic book, Atomic Habits. I’ve used what I learned in that book to create a successful bed time routine that allows me to wind down and get self-care tasks done as part of my bed time routine. It’s been very helpful for me! If you need some motivation on setting yourself up for success, I highly recommend that book! 

Ditch New Year’s Resolutions & Start Habit Tracking

So you have a big goal of getting healthy in 2024. But what does that really mean? What does that goal actually look like? Create a list of things that will help you achieve that goal and be specific. Take that list a break it down into small bite-sized habits that will help you work towards your goal. Start with the easy ones to give yourself some easy wins to keep you motivated. You can add or modify the habits as you go if need be. Just pick something to start and get moving. I recommend you choose a way to track your habits and I’ll gift you a FREE copy of my habit trackers for you to use as a starting point or you can make your own.

Don’t start with a habit that you hate, that’s a recipe for failure. If it’s something you really want to do, can you break it into smaller pieces and work your way up to it? You should enjoy the habit to some degree otherwise it will be very hard to stick with. If you miss one day, don’t throw in the towel. Make it a top priority to do that one habit the next day and get right back on track. A single missed opportunity has very little effect on habit formation. 

Making a Detailed Habit Plan

Creating a detailed written plan and putting it where you can see it will help you stick to that goal. When things get difficult, have strategies ready to help you stay on track and make your habit a reality. If you don’t create a plan, you’ll sooner or later find yourself with an obstacle or some resistance that will cause you to give up. Remember to make your steps small and achievable. Don’t pick huge habits, pick smaller things that will ultimately build into that bigger habit. Those tiny steps add up and they do matter!

Progress Not Perfection

If you have a habit (or habits) that aren’t serving you, they’ve probably been around for years, so don’t expect them to disappear in a few weeks. Be patient and remember this is a process that takes time and there will be setbacks. The important thing to remember is that if you have a misstep or get off track for a couple of days, just restart and get back on track. In 6 months when you look back, you will be amazed at how far you’ve come!

The new year brings all kinds of motivation to make big changes – New Year, New You – so if you want to truly make changes, think about WHY you are doing this and set the foundations that build towards your goals. Remember, you can download a FREE habit tracker HERE.

Happy New Year!