Some people often make resolutions to welcome the New Year but don’t tend to follow them despite promising themselves they want to change something in their lives.
In a 2023 poll from Forbes Health, they found that most people give up resolutions after less than four months.
Author Justin Hale, who is also an adviser and speaker at leadership and management consulting company Crucial Learning, told CBS News that resolutions often fail because people never turn them into habits.
Hale mentioned that the problem is when people want to be better in the new year, “they never focus on understanding what are the exact behaviors” that need to be done in order for them to become habits.
“It’s really specific and really clear – really measurable,” he continued. “Buidling new habits in the new year is less about grit and willpower, and it’s more about having the right plan to make the new behavior habitual.”
The author also mentioned that some people aim for too many resolutions. “People tend to make longer lists of things they want to change, and they change almost none of them, and they feel worse about themselves,” he stated.
In order to increase the chances of achieving your resolution, Hale says there are three steps in order to form a successful habit.
The first step is to identify the cue. This trigger causes your brain to think about the desired behavior when one recognizes the signal. Habit trackers can be beneficial according to Hale as these send reminders that cue that behavior.
Making a small, actionable routine is the next step to stick to a resolution and this can be done by making the behavior or goal smaller until you feel comfortable doing it. Having a conducive environment is very important to accommodate the new routine as well as reflect on what is making it harder for one to actually engage in a certain habit.
Once the routine has already been established, choose a reward. Hale states that the reward can be something physical or emotional. He also mentioned to not blame oneself if the said reward is not reached and look back at the first two steps.
While there are instances where resolutions are not followed, one should give themselves grace, as they can still achieve the changes they wish to make in their lives.
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