How to keep your new year resolutions

By Taiwo Akinlembola

IT is a new year and a new dawn. As the year is new, with new promises and blessings, majority of us desire new things.

People want to turn over a new leaf. This and other reasons are why people make new year resolutions.

I want to do this ; I must achieve this; I must get that, I will drop these vices and I won’t do that again. These are words a lot of us start with at the beginning of every new year. For few weeks and sometimes months we keep to these do’s and don’ts but eventually all these fade away, why?

Debbie is a young fat lady, she knew without being told that her intake of sugar was rather on the high side. This according to her was not totally her fault; the nature of her job was such that required a lot of concentration and most times she hardly had time to take a break and eat.

As a result of this she took a lot of soft drinks to keep herself going. In fact she once confessed to a friend that whenever she was not in the office she hardly took soft drinks. For a week or two she actually lost some calories. Because of this, at the beginning of the new year (2007) she made a resolution to stop taking soft drinks or any other fizzy drink. To ensure this, she made sure she went to the office every morning with her breakfast and a flask of tea. However, she was able to keep to her resolution only for two weeks.

On a particular day, she was so busy that she forgot to eat her breakfast. At about 4 p.m she asked for a bottle of soft drink. In a nutshell, she took no fewer than three bottles before the close of work. She felt bad for having broken her resolution. She felt she couldn’t help the situation and continued.

Debbie is not the only one in this situation. Kay resolved to stop smoking, but he couldn’t stay off cigarette for more than three months, before he went back to smoking.
A lot of other examples like, “I will resolve to save enough money, no listless and useless spending, I will be closer to God in prayers, I will go to church more, I will love my wife/husband more,I will be more committed to my studies, I will improve on my grades” etc are the resolve of people at the beginning of a new year. People desire a better year than the previous one, but unfortunately a lot of them are not faithful to their resolutions. After a few days, weeks or months we ‘backslide’.

Definitely, a lot of us must have made a resolution or more on the very first day of this year 2008, how then can we be determined to fulfil them? Chances are that sometimes in our lives we would have a new year resolution and then break it. You can stop the cycle of resolving to make a change and not following it through.

Here are some tips that can help us keep and fulfil our new year resolutions.

• Be realistic: The easiest way to fall short of your resolution is to make one that is unattainable. It is true that we all desire a change in some things. Look at them all and pick one that is most realistic and you can work on that. Starting with the easiest can also be very encouraging.

•Plan ahead: Don’t start or make a resolution abruptly. Do not make your resolution on the New Year eve or even the first day of the New Year. This is because waiting till the last minute will only make you to make a resolution based only on your mindset for that particular day and there is every possibility that it may be unrealistic or unattainable.

• Lay out your plan: Through your layout plan you can decide on how to go about achieving your goal and resolution. Also help yourself by practising positive thinking. Have it behind your mind that your resolution is attainable and put in all you have to make it work.

Make a “pros” and “cons” list: It will help to see a list of items on paper to keep your motivation strong. Develop this list overtime, you can also involve others. Ask them to contribute things that can help you and you can refer to them as the year goes on.

• Discuss it: It is good to share whatever resolution you make with a friend or someone who can encourage you on it. An encouraging word from a respected or trusted person will really help.

• Give yourself a gift: This does not mean going back to what you have resolved to stop. Celebrate your success by treating yourself to anything you enjoy. For example, you could give yourself a time span, if you succeed by not breaking your resolution, reward yourself. It is encouraging.

• Record your progress: Keep track of each small success you make towards reaching your alternative goal. Short term goals are easy to keep and small accomplishment will keep you motivated.

•Don’t over stretch yourself: Obsessing over an occasional slip won’t help you achieve your goal. Do the best you can and take each day as it comes.
Be consistent: It takes time for a new year resolution to become a habit. Consistency at whatever you want will help.

• Keep trying: If your resolution has totally run out of steam by after few weeks, do not be discouraged, you can always have a fresh start. It is better than giving up.

• Aim low: It goes without saying that most New Year resolutions are easier announced (or written down). If you set the bar too high you’re doomed from the start. Instead of sweeping declarations like “I will lose 30 pounds by April and finally fit into that dress’, target a goal that is more attainable, like losing 10 or 15 pounds.

• Don’t overload yourself: It is difficult enough for the average person to follow through on one’s ambitious New Year resolution, why on earth would you saddle yourself with three or four? Choose the most pressing issue at hand, e.g losing weight, finding a girlfriend, improving your relationship with your parents and concentrate on that. Try to do everything simultaneously steaming. If you are resolved to be nicer to people, then buy yourself a nice jacket after enduring that cocktail party without insulting any body.

• Wait till it is convenient for you: Sometimes the best way to accomplish a New Year resolution is to make it at a time of year of your choosing rather than the one dictated by the calender . May 1 is a good alternative date, since the change of season will neatly coincide with the change you’re hoping to accomplish in yourself.