Lose weight. Start exercising. Quit
smoking. Ever noticed how January's good intentions have a way of turning into July's forgotten resolutions? This midyear, resolve to recommit to your health
goals. By tweaking your resolutions based on what you learned from earlier attempts, you've got a better shot at actually achieving them.
4th of July Resolutions
When you think about it, January 1 may be the worst possible day of the year for making resolutions. Sure, there's poetic appeal to the notion of a fresh start at the beginning of a new year. But in reality, most of us hit the last day of the holiday stress fest feeling frazzled, fatigued and possibly hungover—not exactly at our best for focused behavior change.
The holiday when we should actually be making resolutions is July 4. Compare a typical Fourth of July barbecue—laidback, and the party peaks with 9:00 p.m. fireworks—to a typical New Year's Eve bash. Chances are, you'll be in a much better frame of mind the day after the Fourth to hit the gym or toss out your cigarettes.
With half a year behind you, it's possible to look back and see where your New Year's resolutions went awry. Yet you've still got time to look forward to making this the year when you finally lose that 15 pounds or take up a sport you always wanted to try.
Resolution Solutions
If you made New Year's resolutions that didn't turn out quite the way you planned, now's your chance to review and revise. This time around:
- Try, try again. Yes, you tried before and failed, but that only means you're like 60% of other people who made resolutions six months ago. It's okay; you're normal. Cut yourself some slack.
- Pick one goal—not two, not three. Focus on one thing at a time, and give it your full attention. Once you've achieved your current goal, you can start thinking about your next one.
- Make it personal. Your partner, your best friend and everyone at the office may really, really want you to quit smoking. But until you want it, too, your quit attempt is unlikely to succeed. Be sure you've chosen a goal that you want to accomplish for yourself, not just to satisfy others.
- Think baby steps. One problem with many resolutions is that the goal is so big and overwhelming that you end up feeling intimidated rather than motivated. Break up large goals into smaller, more manageable ones. For example, if you need to lose a lot of weight, aim to take off 5% to 10% of your body weight first.
- Change the world—not yourself. Research shows that avoiding environmental triggers is one of the most effective ways to stick with behavior change. When you're trying to give up sweets, it's easier to ban cookies from the cupboard than to nag yourself into having more willpower.
- Seek support. Did family and friends unwittingly sabotage your behavior change efforts last time? This time, ask for their support, and let them know specific ways they can be more helpful; for example, by not smoking around you or by watching the kids while you go to yoga class.
- Celebrate success. Give yourself little treats for reaching not only your ultimate destination, but also key mileposts along the way. Research shows that rewarding success is a more effective way to promote lasting behavior change than punishing slipups. Plus, it's a lot more fun.
Linda Wasmer Andrews is a health journalist with a master's degree in health psychology. She has broken dozens of resolutions, but she has also kept a few.
Read more about resolutions for better mental well-being. | Visit Linda online at LindaAndrews.com.| Follow her on Twitter.
