Pitfalls To Avoid When Making New Year’s Resolutions

At the beginning of every New Year, we set out to do bigger and better things in our life and to be better than the year before. At the end of every year, we realize that not all of our resolutions have become reality. Out of pure curiosity, let’s analyze what may be holding us back from being who we really want to be. Here are some common New Year’s resolution pitfalls to avoid:

  • Impulse resolutions

Maybe the reason we didn’t succeed is very simple. Maybe we didn’t give our New Year’s resolutions much thought and quickly made pledges based on certain aspects in our lives that are bothersome at that moment. Take some time and reevaluate your New Year’s resolutions after analyzing your priorities for the upcoming year.

  • Digging in the past

Don’t make New Year’s resolutions based on what you didn’t accomplish in years past. You’re just setting yourself up for frustration and disappointment. There is usually a reason why you didn’t accomplish that goal the first time. Instead, rephrase these resolutions and be more specific. Example: If “I want to lose weight” didn’t work for you, try “I want to eat 5 servings of vegetables a day” or “I am going to exercise at least 3 days a week”.

  • Dwelling on the negative

If you’re trying to change a ‘bad’ habit, word it in a positive way to avoid pointing out the forbidden or tempting behavior. Sometimes it’s all about how we look at things. Example: “I will stop biting my nails” turns into “I will take better care of my nails.”

  • A missing or too long of a deadline

Research suggests that most people dismiss their New Year’s resolutions by Valentine’s Day. Set yourself intermittent deadlines to hold yourself accountable. Mark it on your calendar to keep track at least on a monthly basis.

  • Denying challenges ahead

Acknowledge touch times and challenges ahead and plan for them.

  • Keeping your New Year’s resolutions a secret

Write your goals down to have a visual reminder and let others know about your goals to have a sense of responsibility to keep up with your objectives and to find unexpected support.

To pave the way for better New Year’s resolutions, use the SMART principle to set your goals:

S = specific. Ex., don’t just say I want to lose weight, instead say “I want to lose 20 pounds before my birthday” or “I want to run 1 mile in 6 minutes”.

M = measurable. You can’t measure “I want to get in shape” but you can measure eating 6 times a day or running 1 mile in 6 minutes.

A = attainable. Nobody is perfect, therefore such a resolution is not attainable. Look at your current situation and aim for specific improvements.

R = realistic. Base your goals on the resources and tools available to you.

T = timely. Goals have to be a challenge but they also need to be possible. There are only 24 hours in a day and there are only so many pounds you can lose (and keep off) in a week.

What are your goals for the upcoming year? Post your comments below.