New Years Resolutions: How Are You Doing?
At the end of every year, as we get ready to watch the ball drop, we feel the need to follow the annual tradition of making a "new year’s resolution." These can be goals we want to set for ourselves to accomplish in the new year or even new healthy habits that we want to implement into our lives. It can even include breaking negative habits and cutting out any other negative things from your life.
A lot of times though, it can be difficult to stick with these resolutions that we set for ourselves. That is why there is a long-running joke about seeing everyone in the gym or jogging outside on January first: it’s easy to start new habits and resolutions, but the challenging part is sticking with them as time goes on. After we all return to work, school, and other regularly scheduled activities after the holidays, it can be very easy to fall off the wagon with any resolution you set for yourself. We all lead busy lives, and because of this, we sometimes fail to keep up good habits due to stress and having to keep up with so many other responsibilities. Sometimes, we even get in the mindset of putting these healthy habits on the back burner because there is "just too much to remember to do”, and we promise ourselves that we will focus on them “eventually”. Follow along for some tips on how to keep up with your resolutions throughout the year, and how you can do this despite having a hectic and busy lifestyle.
Set Attainable Goals
A lot of times, we tend to be overzealous with goal-setting because we naturally tend to be hard on ourselves. We want to push ourselves to do our best. This is not a bad thing at all, but we need to remember that sometimes goals that are too high can be hard to reach. Not that you shouldn’t try, however, but there are less overwhelming ways to go about reaching your goals. The secret is to break down your large goal into a series of smaller goals that are easier to reach in a certain period of time. Then, once you reach your first smaller goal, you can move forward in attaining the next one, and so on. This helps us to focus on smaller pieces of the overall goal at a time, so we don’t get overwhelmed and give up altogether. For example, if your goal is to lost 20 pounds before the end of the year, break it down into more attainable goals. Start by eating healthy and working out more regularly, so you can lose the first 5 pounds in a month or two. Once you reach this mark, work on pushing yourself even harder to shed the next 5 pounds, and so on. Keeping a healthy mindset throughout this process is important, as the most important aspect is simply keeping yourself healthy with new healthier eating and exercise habits.
Know the Difference Between a Resolution and a Goal
Something else to keep in mind is that there is a difference between a resolution and a goal. A goal is a specific thing that you want to accomplish in a certain period of time, whereas a resolution is more of an idea or a decision to start or stop doing something. A resolution is more of a habit that you decide you want to break or start. Resolutions do typically lead up to an eventual goal, whatever that may be. Resolutions are good to set for yourself, as it focuses more on a habit that you work on daily to get somewhere in a period of time that is not as restricted as it is when you set a specific goal. Usually, resolutions consist of things like “I want to eat more fruits and veggies, and less sugar and carbs,” or “I want to drink less alcohol during the week so my body feels more energized”, and other things of a similar nature. These are habits that want to be started or broken, but there is no ultimate deadline to them. This can make them less daunting, but it can be easier to not keep up with them because there is less pressure to do so. The secret to not falling into that rut is to set an overall goal, and then set the resolutions necessary to meet that goal. Don’t overwhelm yourself, but a little healthy self-pressure is perfectly okay!
Help reach your goal
Take a look at the list of resolutions you may have made for yourself about two months ago. Take your time to reevaluate, and break down your goals and resolutions wherever necessary. Healthy habits overall will only positively affect your life, and sometimes when there is no time limit set to these expectations, they just flow naturally!
If you need help with your New Year's goals and resolutions, contact us today! At Arancia Physical Therapy in Cranston, RI, we are happy to help!