New Year Resolutions Are Here
Top 6 Ways to Make Resolutions Stay!
Isaac Newton said it best; yet funny thing is, he wasn’t talking about humans but easily could have. “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” People often do too much or too little of something. Consider for example: spending, eating, socializing, exercising, working etc.
The New Year often evokes thoughts on making change. “This year it will be different!” But how are you going to make that change? The past often is the best predictor of the future.
What can you do instead to make resolutions sustainable?
Here are 6 Tips to making the change you have always wanted to:
- One Step at a Time – look to repeat previous success by finding small victories. This is a long race and the sprinters often get injured. Keep it simple, keep it easy yet don’t stop moving forward. The ability to be resilient and consistent will produce change.
- Create Goals that are Behavior Driven – the final outcome will advance on its own but the focus needs to be on the daily action. There’s a difference between saying I am going to have three colors of food on my plate each day and “I want to lose 10 pounds”.
- Fun, Fun, Fun – put fun in the path of the action you want to take. If you go for a run, do it in a beautiful place or with a wonderful person. If you are trying to eat less, add interesting things into your life that are not related to food. Your ability to like something directly relates to your consequence of doing it.
- Plan with a Purpose – create a plan that matches your goal and is doable. Know the time it will take and carve the space out in your life to do it.
- Team Up. See if you can team up with a friend or two. In this way you can compare notes about what works and what doesn’t. It can be more fun and motivating to do things together.
- Reward yourself – rewards are just that, rewarding. If you give yourself something and it does not promote future change, it is not a reward. If you find joy in it, then it is rewarding. If it reminds you to keep making the change you want then it is rewarding.
Resolutions without the Rebound Effect
Let’s reconsider Newton’s third law of thermodynamics: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction? Resolutions are no different. The natural inclination is to make the change in an intense way but history tells us the rebound effect is just as intense.
Use the six tips above to reduce rebound, and implement a change that can stick.
Do you want to make a change that can last? A compassion, expert is a great opportunity to do just that! Our caring and thoughtful counselors providers are available to join with you in your goal. Complete our quick, easy form today and we will get back to you in 24-36 hours!
Additional contributions from:
David A Morris, LCSW
Tory Butterworth, Phd
