10 Tips for Sticking to Your New Year's Resolution

It's always great to set new goals and healthy habits year round, but the New Year is the most popular time for people to "start fresh." According to a recent poll by YouGovAmerica, about 1 in 4 Americans claim they are kicking off 2022 with a New Year's Resolution. While plenty of resolutionists will see their goals through, there are many who will give up as the year matures. Our team is here to see you succeed with 10 helpful hints for making and keeping your New Year's resolution this time around!

1. Make Your Resolution Realistic

If you set a goal you know you're unlikely to ever achieve, you're setting yourself up for failure. Ensure that your end goal is something you know is possible and realistic for you to achieve.

2. Create A Reasonable Timeline

Once you've decided on a realistic resolution, create a reasonable timeline. For example, if you're hoping to lose weight, set quantitative benchmarks that you'd like to reach throughout the year at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, etc.

3. Outline Your Strategy

How are you going to reach your benchmarks? If you're looking to lose weight, are you going to start off by exercising more? Eating less? Both? Don't push yourself too hard in the beginning or you may get discouraged. Even the smallest efforts can produce results when you have a realistic goal. Start small to end big!

4. Make Sure You're Prepared

Set a date that you are planning to start. (Could be reasonable to begin on January 2nd to allow yourself the holiday!) Before then, make sure you have everything you need to start successfully. Maybe your resolution is something small like cooking at home more... so you'll probably want to be prepared with recipes and a grocery list beforehand! If you're not prepared, you'll likely push off the resolution and start off on the wrong foot.

5. Tell Family and Friends About Your Goal

Your closest family and friends are likely the people who support you most in life. Tell them about your resolution and how you're planning to reach it. Not only will this help you "speak it into existence," but will provide you with the extra moral support you need to succeed!

6. Positive Reinforcements

Whenever you hit a small or large benchmark, reward yourself accordingly! Just make sure whatever you are rewarding yourself with isn't jeopardizing your overall progress. (If your goal is to drink less alcohol, you wouldn't want to defeat the purpose by rewarding your achievement with a glass of wine!)

7. Re-Evaluate Your Plan If You Fall Off Track

Don't beat yourself up if you get sidetracked or don't meet a benchmark. Not everything in life can go as planned, and that's totally fine! If you're not where you want to be at a certain point, take a step back and re-evaluate. How can you be where you want to be by the next benchmark? Are your benchmarks realistic? What changes need to be made to keep your resolution intact? It's a-okay to make a more realistic plan if your initial goal does not seem feasible! Don't give up.

8. Track Your Goals "On Paper"

Whether you prefer to use a journal, your phone's notes app, a calendar or something else... find a way to keep track of your benchmarks and overall goal that isn't just inside your head. This will affect your accountability and help you evaluate your progress as time goes on.

9. Find A Partner to Make Your Resolution With

Maybe a friend, family member or coworker has the same resolution in mind as you? Connect with them and see how you can motivate eachother to reach your goals. You don't have to share the same exact plan, but it will help to share your achievements and hold eachother accountable. 

10. Change Your Mindset

Even before Day 1 of your resolution begins, you'll need to focus your mindset on the benefits that will come from your resolution. Harp on the positive aspects of the entire process... even your goal is relatively "small." If you plan to exercise more, don't think about the time involved or how challenging certain aspects may be to overcome. Think about all of the health benefits that come along with exercising... or how much more you'll enjoy wearing your swimsuit this Summer! Remind yourself that you CAN do this, even when you're not having the best day. Keep your overall goal in mind, but move forward in small steps and focus your energy on your next benchmark.

Overall, don't forget that the purpose of a New Year's resolution is to improve your life in some way. If you find yourself miserable while sticking to your goal, figure out a way to make it more fun or more achievable. There will be some growing pains along the way, but always revert back to your reasoning for making this resolution from the start. Whenever you're feeling discouraged, write out your frustrations (cons) versus the benefits (pros) that will come from your next benchmark. There is a reason you created this goal in the first place and the benefits are sure to outweigh your fleeting frustrations. 

Do you plan to make a resolution for 2022? We'd love to hear about it! Share your goals with us on social media @zforzielinski so we can cheer you on! And from the Zielinski Real Estate Group team to yours, we wish you a safe and happy New Year!