Happy New Year! Quit Spinning Your Wheels and Start Building Sustainable Habits!
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
Aristotle
Research shows that as many as 50 percent of adults in the United States make New Year’s resolutions BUT fewer than 10 percent keep them for more than a few months (see footnote).
The problem might lie in the fact that you’re relying solely on motivation, sheer willpower or white knuckling it. Unfortunately, motivation comes and goes, willpower is not infinite and you can only white knuckle it for so long. In order to make a lasting, impactful change in 2021, it has to become a habit. Here's 5 tips for starting the new year off right!
Focus on automating a new habit, not a specific outcome. For example, instead of 'I want to lose 50 lbs', say 'I want to exercise 4-5 days per week for 12 weeks and incorporate more fresh fruit and vegetables into my diet'. (Adding things into your diet is much easier than taking them away, which creates a sense of deprivation). Create some momentum this way first. ONE...DAY...AT...A...TIME.
Find your why and make a plan. And every week when you review your progress write down another why and consider what resources are available to you, what are the potential pitfalls and when you encounter those, what is the plan. For example, 'If I want to eat because I'm bored, I'll first try taking a walk, meditating and/or eating an apple.
Be realistic. If you set your sights on the moon and fail, you’ll reinforce a narrative that you’re a failure which will ultimately feed into your identity and you’ll ever so slowly chip away at your self esteem. Do not set yourself up for failure! Undershoot to start and then you’ll have confidence and momentum to progress to the next level.
Be flexible. Assess, adjust and recommit weekly. A goal is not set in stone, if something isn’t working for you, make adjustments. Keep what’s working, get rid of what is not! To truly make progress towards a goal, one that is not already a habit, it needs to be kept at the forefront of your mind. So, set a daily/weekly reminder on your calendar or set your goal as your lock screen on your phone so that every time you go to pick it up you’re reminded.
Start a morning and evening routine, if you can control the beginning and end up your day, you’re already way ahead of the game. Propose a morning and evening routine, try it for a week, and make adjustments.
Set your intention for the new year, make a commitment to persevere no matter how uncomfortable you get, and you will get uncomfortable. Behave as though you’ve already achieved it! And remember failure is part of success and an indication that growth is occurring. You only fail if you give up. Now go kick 2021's ass!
Further reading: Atomic Habits and The Power of Habit
Dr Charles Herrick, ‘Why we make and break new year's resolutions, and four tips to help you achieve your goals’, www.westernconnecticuthealthnetwork.org
