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New year, new you. A new year is like a blank journal; the perfect opportunity to reinvent
yourself and begin a fresh chapter in your life. All the mistakes of the previous 12 months shall be
forgotten and buried to give rise to the new you. And so, you create a list of all the aspirations
that will make this new life chapter a wonderful adventure. And yet, after a few months, those
new year’s resolutions are left unfinished or completely forgotten. To achieve all your goals and
experience true change, you should set resolutions that truly resonate with your needs, and get
Humanity’s need for making New Year’s resolutions is nothing new. About 4000 years ago, the
ancient Babylonians were the first civilization on record to hold celebrations. During mid-March,
when the crops were planted, Babylonians crowned a new king or reaffirmed their loyalty to the
reigning monarch. It was also a time for making promises to the gods so as not to fall out of their
divine favors.
In 46 B.C., a similar tradition took place in Rome after Julius Caesar declared January 1 as the
beginning of the new year. This was in honor of Janus, the two-faced god of new beginnings,
doorways, and archers. Believing that Janus looked back into the previous years and ahead into
the future, the Romans offered sacrifices and made promises of good behavior to the deity for
A bit further in time, early Christians would spend the first day of the new year reflecting on past
mistakes and thinking about how to do better in the future. Nowadays, many people, regardless
For some people, New Year’s resolutions are a matter of tradition. Others are drawn to this little
ritual for the allure of starting from scratch. Most human beings have a natural tendency
towards self-improvement and New Year, although an arbitrary day, provides us with a goal date
to prepare our plans and get ourselves into the right mindset. According to psychiatrist Glenn E.
Miller, M.D., “the fact that so many people keep making resolutions year after year, even when
they do not, or cannot, always follow through on them, indicates they have hope and a certain
level of belief in their ability to facilitate change, becoming more of who they truly want to be.”
This urgency for change responds to our inner desire of being happier; achieving the kind of life
we believe we deserve.
Despite our pursuit of change, the detailed to-do lists, and the personal promise that this will be
the year, resolutions are usually doomed to fail. According to a survey by the Statistic Brain
Research Institute, about 91% of people don’t achieve their New Year’s resolutions. No matter
the intensity of our determination, keeping the same level of enthusiasm and commitment
A few weeks into the new year, we become entangled by life’s many responsibilities and
stressors. Inevitably, we lose track or even forget about all those goals we set. This, of course, is
just a summary of the real problem. Motivational scientist and author Catherine Pulsifer believes
New Year’s resolutions fail because “they are only a statement, or what we wish for in the
coming year. There are usually no action plans, no deadlines, no backup plans. Sometimes they
are unrealistic resolutions, with no other thought or plans besides the statement.”
As the saying goes, it’s not the horse that draws the cart, it’s the oats. It’s not the gym or cardio
sessions that will help you get in shape, it’s your motivation and the strength of your willpower.
Good motivation and willpower will help you overcome the obstacles to achieving your goals.
They will also encourage you to take all the necessary steps and build up the discipline to make a
When you decide you want to eat healthily to lose weight, that might not be the right why — it is
an incomplete statement. Think about why losing weight is a priority; how it will be beneficial
for your health, how following a balanced diet will change your life positively. This is much more
important than you think. As described by sustainable behavior change scientist and author
Michelle Segar, whys or motivators “are the reasons for making those resolutions in the first
place.” In other words, these “are the foundation of the entire behavior change process and have
a domino effect.”
Motivation, after all, is the fuel of your actions. The strength of your motivation will eventually
course, waiting for motivation to knock at your door is easier than actually allowing that
motivation in. After all, boredom, resignation, lack of discipline, and self-sabotage are part of
The “go big or go home” mentality doesn’t apply here; it is one of the main reasons why New
Year’s resolutions are forgotten or never completed. The best thing to do is to start small and
slowly make your way up to the top so you don’t feel overwhelmed. For example, instead of
giving up desserts for good, try adding more fruit to your diet and progressively shortening your
candy supplies as the weeks go by. Breaking down your resolutions into reasonable steps will
Avoid having multiple resolutions or resolutions you can’t fully commit to. While some
resolutions are quite simple — like drinking three or four glasses of water per day — learning a
new language, for example, demands more significant changes to your routine. You might need
to enroll in a course or engage with learning resources regularly; schedule a time to practice
people struggle with the willpower to commit to ambitious resolutions such as weight loss or
language learning on top of simpler tasks. “It would take too much attention and vigilance to do
all that and also decide it’s time to brush your teeth for the full two minutes and become better
doesn’t mean you should forget your resolutions, but rather, you should remember that you have
365 days to manage them. Sometimes, it’s okay to take a break from your goals and resume them
Don’t be shy! Be open about your resolutions with your friends and family. The American
Psychological Association recommends that you join a support group to reach your goals, such
Having somebody else to share your challenges and successes will make the journey much easier
and less intimidating. Most importantly, you will get an extra dose of motivation to keep going
As the proverb goes, all good things come to those who wait. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t
see immediate results. Positive change doesn’t take place in the blink of an eye; it requires effort,
passion, and, above all, consistency. Darya Rose, Ph.D., author of Foodist: Using Real Food and
Real Science to Lose Weight Without Dieting, advises us to regard resolutions and new habits as
“I don’t beat myself up if something doesn’t stick the first time I try it,” she states. “Instead, I ask
myself: What worked? What didn’t work? And what could I do differently next time to achieve
better results? I do this until I have a clear understanding of what stops me from doing
something and what keeps me doing it, then I make sure those conditions are met. If I can make
Keeping a record of your progress is one of the easiest and most effective ways to stick to your
the more you monitor your performance, the more likely you are to achieve your goals. By
recording your trajectory in a journal, app, or any other method, you will be receiving frequent
then reviews and re-read them every day. “Each of my resolutions is quantifiable on a
day-to-day basis, and I have direct control over my progress toward achieving them,” she says.
“For example, the common New Year’s resolution of ‘weight loss’ is not actionable: You can’t
wake up and ‘do’ weight loss, but you can wake up and have eggs with a side of fruit.”
Losing weight, following a healthy diet, saving money, learning a new language, drinking less,
mastering a new hobby, and so on. You might be familiar with those New Year’s resolutions.
Perhaps one of them has made it to your list in the past. Of course, there is nothing wrong with
those aspirations — they answer the desire to become better versions of ourselves. The problem
starts when you make resolutions because of social pressure instead of what feels good to you.
This can be every bit as harmful as an abandoned resolution. To change, you should choose
resolutions that respond to your individual needs and encourage you to be the best you. Here is
a list of alternative New Year’s resolutions to help you take care of yourself and live a healthier
While most people will vow to exercise more and eat less, many don’t realize that physical and
mental health go hand in hand. Just like the body, our minds are susceptible to illness. Without a
healthy mind, any resolution you might have will be hard to keep.
If you have struggled with stress, anxiety, depression, or other types of mental afflictions over
the past year, this resolution should be on top of your list. A good way to start is by scheduling a
“me time” at least one hour a week, as advised by Melissa Coats, a psychotherapist, and owner of
Coats Counseling. Any activity that nurtures you will do, whether it’s a long walk, listening to
Seeking professional support if you need an extra bit of help is nothing to be ashamed of. Having
an expert to guide you and determine the best course of action to follow will certainly make a
Sleep is the time when the body heals itself and prepares for the following day. During sleep, our
bodies conserve energy, decrease blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and body temperature.
At the same time, our brains remain active by laying down memory, restoring daytime mental
functioning, and carrying out important processes that lead to physical growth.
In today’s busy world, we make a habit of skimping on the recommended sleep hours thinking
that we’ll catch up sometime throughout the week. This dangerous habit leads to sleep debt,
where your performance and sleepiness both get progressively worse. Getting enough sleep has
many benefits, including protecting your physical and mental health, quality of life, and personal
safety.
This year, allow yourself plenty of resting time. If you are struggling with insomnia or poor sleep
A short dose of pressure won’t kill you. In fact, many people work at their best potential when
under healthy bouts of stress. But, when stress is chronic, it becomes one of the biggest enemies
for mental and physical health. Experts link high levels of stress with insomnia, obesity,
Responsibilities, work, relationships, and money are sources of everyday stress. Avoiding all of
those things is impossible. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to relax and equip ourselves with
techniques to better cope with our stress levels. According to Roberta Lee, MD, and author of
The SuperStress Solution, it’s all a matter of incorporating small, healthy habits into our routine.
“Stress is an inevitable part of life,” she says. “Relaxation, sleep, socializing, and taking vacations
are all things we tell ourselves we deserve but don’t allow ourselves to have.”
A new year awakens the social animals in us. We feel inspired to meet new, exciting people.
Instead of solely focusing on expanding your social circles, you could also make room in your
calendar to reconnect and deepen your bond with old friends and relatives. Apart from being
personally rewarding, this New Year’s resolution can improve your life quality.
Research suggests that people with strong social ties live longer than those who don’t. A study
published in the journal of PLoS Medicine concluded that a lack of social bonds can damage your
health as much as alcoholism or smoking. Putting an effort into strengthening your closest
relationships will redirect your life into a healthier direction. In this age of technology and
communication, reaching a relative or friend is just a matter of seconds. No matter how hard it
might seem, have a little courage, and start with a brief message or call.
Volunteer
We tend to believe that the key to happiness lies in focusing on our needs and putting ourselves
first. Although this is important to our self-care, our happiness also increases when we help
others, as suggested by certain studies. Peter Kanaris, coordinator of public education for the
New York State Psychological Association states: “Someone who makes this sort of resolution is
research, people with positive, joyful, and enthusiastic dispositions — what psychologists call
“positive affect” — are less likely to suffer from heart disease and experience high levels of
To enjoy happiness and, potentially, a healthier life, welcome the new year by volunteering or
Travel
The joys and memories of a fruitful vacation stay with you long after you set your luggage aside.
It is too easy to get stuck in the routine and get easily bored with our current surroundings. This
is why we need to breathe fresh air from time to time. This, in turn, has many benefits as pointed
out by Kanaris. “It makes you feel rejuvenated and replenished,” he adds. “It gets you out of your
typical scenery, and the effects are revitalizing. It’s another form of new discovery and learning,
Nobody can afford to travel regularly. Yet, traveling doesn’t have to mean pricey flights and
luxury hotels. You can pay a short visit to a nearby city, town, or even have a walk around a
neighborhood you are not familiar with. As you do so, try to retain your sense of wonder and be
strengths you already possess is extremely rewarding. It could be that you are gifted in drawing
or dancing. Instead of ignoring those talents, you could focus on improving and becoming much
better at them. Do your research and enroll in a course, workshop, or related activity.
Meditate
Meditation is an ancient practice well known for helping you relax and enhance your
concentration prowess. In short, meditation is a skill you learn to focus attention and awareness
to achieve a healthy sense of perspective. Contrary to popular belief, meditation is not sitting
still for hours and controlling every single thought that crosses your mind. Rather, it’s a matter
of connecting with your inner self and going with the flow of your mind.
Over the years, spiritual leaders, health experts, and scientists have studied meditation and
discovered over a hundred benefits. According to research, when you meditate regularly, you
change how your brain works; improve your health; achieve greater work productivity, and
What makes meditation truly wonderful is its accessibility. There are many types of approaches
to meditation — mindfulness meditation, sound meditation, love and kindness meditation, and
transcendental meditation to name a few. All of these practices can take as little as 30 minutes of
Another year has gone by. By now, you have probably already made a list of New Year’s
resolutions you have sworn to accomplish. You will try to stick to your resolutions during the
first weeks of the year. Or, you will delay them and delay them until you forget about them. Make
2021 the year of real change and personal growth. Kickstart this new life chapter by
understanding what you truly wish and building a clear and inspirational action plan.
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