Around 40 percent of Americans set New Year’s resolutions each year. Of that number, just 9 percent are successful in achieving those goals that they set for themselves.
Not only do the majority of resolution setters give up on their goals, but they do so faster than you might expect. Nearly 70 percent of people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by February 1 each year.
Why do we start each new year with such high expectations, only to abandon them within a few weeks? Sometimes life gets in the way. We get busy with work, school, or families, and set our own wants and needs aside. But other times, the New Year’s resolutions that we set are simply too lofty to be realistic to stick to. Reality sets in, our goals suddenly feel impossible, and we give up before we ever really get started.
Could 2023 be the year that you finally set goals that you stick to? Here at Sun Rock Yoga, we think so! Keep reading as we dive into what you need to know to make New Year’s resolutions that you’ll keep, as well as how our St George studio can help.
Get Realistic With Your Goals
One big reason why our New Year’s resolutions fail is that we set our sights a little too high. When you’re nearing the end of the year and looking ahead, it’s normal to feel excited about making changes. This is especially true if you’re feeling any regret or sadness about how your previous year went. You might be hoping to turn things around by making some big changes. But setting your goals too high can only leave you feeling discouraged when you try to start working towards them.
It’s important to make sure that you’re realistic when setting your New Year’s resolutions. They should be goals that you can actually make progress towards with your existing schedule and other obligations. If you’re busy working or caring for your family, it isn’t realistic to set a goal that will require hours of work each day to achieve.
It’s also important to make sure that you’re taking into account where you’re starting from. For instance, if your New Year’s resolution is to master a certain style of yoga, but you’ve never taken a single class, it might be time to set a more realistic goal. Setting a resolution to join a beginner-friendly class (like the ones offered at our yoga Utah studio) a few days a week is more attainable, meaning that you’ll have an easier time sticking with it!
Set Resolutions That are Specific and Measurable
Another big reason why many New Year’s resolutions fail is that they aren’t specific enough. If a goal isn’t specific, it’s difficult to track your progress. This makes it easy to lose sight of the goal that you’re working towards, or to feel discouraged because you don’t have a way of tracking the progress that you’re making.
For example, say that you want to get healthy in 2023. Simply setting that as your goal isn’t measurable or trackable. Instead, break that goal down into smaller, specific goals that you can easily track.
Start by thinking about what it means to you to get healthy. Does it mean losing weight, swapping unhealthy foods for healthy alternatives, or achieving a fitness goal, like mastering a yoga pose or running a mile without stopping? Each of these smaller goals are something that you can easily track your progress on from week to week or month to month.
Create a Vision Board
One fun way to help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions is to create a vision board. A vision board is designed to help you visualize your goals, and can be displayed in a spot where you’ll be able to reflect on those goals daily.
Need help creating your own vision board? On February 4, Sun Rock Yoga will be hosting a vision board workshop. Follow us on Facebook to learn more!
Join a Challenge
If you find it difficult to stay motivated on your own, one great way to achieve your New Year’s resolutions is to work with others to hold each other accountable. Our St George studio is out to help you do just that with our new Rock Your Yoga challenge!
This 6 week challenge kicked off on January 9, and lasts through February 16. Join in 5 yoga classes a week at Sun Rock Yoga for 6 weeks, for a total of 30 yoga classes. At the end of the challenge, 3 winners will be selected to win a night in Springdale, Utah, a Lululemon gift card, or some brand new yoga gear to help you continue working towards your yoga goals in 2023! This challenge is designed to help you get a jumpstart on your yoga goals in the new year. Even if you don’t walk away with a prize, you’ll already be well on your way to achieving those New Year’s resolutions.
Research shows that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become a habit. If you complete 6 weeks of yoga training, you’ll already be almost two-thirds of the way to making it a habit that you’ll be more likely to stick to!
Achieving Your New Year’s Resolutions With Help from Our St George Studio
Will 2023 be the year that you finally achieve your New Year’s resolutions? With these strategies, it can be! From setting goals that are realistic and specific and utilizing a vision board and challenges to stay motivated, you can set goals that you’ll stick with in the new year.
The Sun Rock Yoga team is here to help you achieve your fitness and wellness goals in 2023! Our St George studio kicked off our Rock Your Yoga challenge on January 9 to help you start a new yoga routine, and get a jumpstart on your resolutions. We’re also hosting a vision board workshop on February 4.
If your New Year’s resolution is to get your yoga teacher training, you’re in luck; we’re kicking off a brand new training this month! This training will offer both 200 and 300 hour teacher training, and runs from January 25 to June 1. Apply today to make your goals a reality in 2023!