The beginning of the new year can be exciting because you get to start over and wipe the slate clean. It can also be stressful because you may feel the need to make some big life changes in the form of New Year’s resolutions.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to change for the better whether that’s losing weight, quitting smoking, or resolving to reduce the stress in your life. Just remember to be realistic about attaining your goals and by this time next year, you may have achieved an amazing goal.
Baby Steps
When making a resolution or implementing any sort of change in your life, it’s best to start small. At the beginning of a new goal, most people are very excited and want to dive right in and take an “all or nothing” approach.
Unfortunately, this can set you up for failure because you are trying to do too much too soon. If you decide this is the year you are going to lose weight and you have joined a gym, make a commitment to go two or three days a week at first, especially if you have never exercised or you haven’t worked out in a while. If you want to eat healthier, find an eating plan that you can work with and is not limiting. Instead of banning entire food groups from your diet, try swapping healthy foods for the unhealthy ones. For example, if you have a sweet tooth and like to have a couple of cookies after dinner, try having some yogurt sweetened with honey instead.
Go Easy on Yourself
As you start out on the road to a new you, remember that some days will be harder than others and your willpower or motivation may not be very strong. If you get chewed out by your boss and you drown your sorrows in ice cream when you get home, it’s not the end of the world. Just realize that you had a bad day and that you will do better tomorrow. It’s no reason to give up because you’re not perfect. Allow yourself to mess up every now and then. You are human after all.
Get Some Support
One of the best ways to make a big change in your life is to have a group of people who support your goals and endeavors. This will help you stay on track when you feel like you want to give up. Even better is to find people who are trying to reach the same goal as you.
Find a friend who wants to get in shape too and work out together. A workout buddy will help you stay accountable when you may want to skip your sweat session. Also, limit the amount of time you spend with people who are not supportive of your goals or who are just plain negative. Surround yourself with positive people who support you and want to see you succeed.
Remember, change takes time and hopefully with these tips, you will feel inspired to not only make a New Year’s resolution, but to stick with it throughout the whole year.
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