Resolution revival: seven tips for sticking to those New Year's resolutions
New years resolutions gone by the way-side already?
With the long cold nights of January, it can be easy to turn to the comfort of the sofa or that leftover selection box you told yourself you were absolutely not meant to eat.
But fear not, we have 7 handy tips to keep you on the straight and narrow and get the most out of your resolutions:
Attitude check
Analyse where your resolutions are coming from. Is your goal to lose weight about self-esteem or self-care? Are you on dry January to improve your health or an effort to control your drinking? Try to think positive about challenges as opposed to letting them a burden. "I will eat healthy" as opposed to "I have to eat healthy"
Start today
It doesn't have to be January the first, it doesn't even have to be a Monday- you can start resolutions whenever you want. A good start is half the work. Aiming for a better job? Don't wait for something to land on your leap, put aside a few hours a week to fix your CV and get yourself out there.
Break it up
Instead of setting vague goals like "get fit", "eat better" and "improve x, y and z" set some obtainable goals. For example, Instead of "get fit" try "I will go to the gym three times this week" and instead of "eating better" try "I will eat my five fruit and veg today" or "I will get out of the house instead of drinking half a bottle of red wine."
Try something new
Lets face it, the gym isn't for everyone. But that doesn't mean that you can't set yourself a fitness goal. Try something different, like hiking, wall climbing, swimming, Zumba, cycling, are all great ways to get fit, have fun and drop a few pounds.
The same goes for all other areas of your life. Want to spend more quality time with the kids? Get a fun and active activity that whole family can do together.
Want to improve you CV or pick up new skills? Try a night school course in your area.
Ask for help
Talk about your goals with family, friends, partners and co-workers. Enlist a partner or friend with similar goals to help keep you on track. It's a lot harder to back out when someone else is keeping you accountable.
Don't beat yourself up
In the infamous words of Hannah Montana "nobody's perfect". We all fall off the bandwagon from time to time. What's more important is that you get back on. Beating yourself up about not doing this or doing that is counter-productive. It'll only make you feel worse and make that goal seem all the more difficult.
One thing at a time
Got a resolution list that's as long as your arm? Focus on one thing at a time. Trying to give your life a complete overhaul in a matter of days rarely works (sorry to break it to ya). Want to eat better, get fitter, AND quit smoking? Go one at a time, start with the gym, eventually ease into healthier eating habits and once you're in a good place with those two, start tackling the cigarettes/learning French/taking pottery classes.
You got this gal! The world is you resolution-fulfilling oyster!