Did you set a New Year’s resolution or two for 2022? If you did, are you still going strong? Or are you among the 46 percent of people that have already given up on their resolution just one month into the New Year?
Studies show that after 6 months, more than 50 percent of resolutions have been abandoned. In total, 80 percent of people fail to achieve the goals they set for themselves at the start of each new year. Setting New Year’s resolutions may seem like a great way to start your year on the right foot. But all too often, the goals we set are too lofty, difficult to measure, or unrealistic. When life gets in the way or we face a challenge, we quickly push those resolutions aside.
Whether you’ve already given up on your resolutions for the year or not, learning how to set better goals — and stick to them — is the best way to make this your healthiest, happiest year yet. Keep reading to learn a few practical tips to help you set resolutions that’ll last all year long.
Get to the Root of Your Goals
One of the biggest reasons why New Year’s resolutions often fail is because they aren’t specific enough. Let’s take a look at the top 5 most common New Year’s resolutions:
- Exercise more
- Lose weight
- Get organized
- Learn a new skill or hobby
- Live life to the fullest
These resolutions share one common trait; they’re too simple. Too many people set goals like these without really considering why they’re setting them. When life gets busy, you’ll give up on general goals such as these, because you don’t have an emotional connection to them. Setting goals that you’ll want to stick to means getting to the root of why exactly you’re setting them.
Once you have a resolution in mind, take time to consider why that goal is important to you. Why do you want to exercise more? Is it simply because you think that you should?
This won’t be enough motivation to keep you committed to your goal. Instead, you’ll want to set goals that you’re passionate about. Maybe you want to exercise more to set a healthy example for your kids, to help resolve health issues you’ve been dealing with, or because you have dreams of becoming a yoga instructor. Having your reasons for setting your resolution in mind is a great way to keep yourself motivated when life gets busy or your resolutions get tough to keep.
Focus on One Resolution at a Time
Another reason why many resolutions are abandoned is that we try to take on too much at once. Ahead of New Year’s eve, with a new, fresh year ahead of you, it’s tempting to start dreaming about changing many different aspects of your life, all at once. Maybe you want to get organized, start a new yoga habit, and learn a new language, all at once.
But take a minute to ask yourself why you haven’t done those things already. One likely reason? You don’t have the time. This isn’t something that’s likely to change overnight when the clock strikes midnight.
Overwhelming yourself with too many goals will only lead to you feeling discouraged when you don’t have the time to focus on all of them. Instead, narrow your focus. Choose the one goal that you’re the most passionate about, and stick to that first. Odds are that achieving one goal will naturally help you get a head start on others you’d like to focus on as well. For instance, making yoga a regular part of your daily routine will no doubt help inspire you to eat healthier, be more focused, and feel better in your own skin.
Let Yourself Be a Beginner
Trying to achieve too many goals all at once isn’t the only thing that can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Trying to skip ahead on your goals by assuming that you’re further along than you really are can also be detrimental to your progress.
The best way to achieve your goals, and achieve them faster, is to allow yourself to be a beginner. Whether that means sticking to beginner-friendly workout classes or taking the time to learn the basics of a language before diving into memorizing vocabulary, having a solid base gives you a better starting point, and may help your skills to snowball more quickly later on.
Don’t Dwell on Past Failures
If you’re too busy thinking about how many times you’ve failed to reach a specific goal in the past, you’ll struggle to make any progress this time around. In fact, you may even find yourself falling into the same patterns, simply because you expect yourself to fail.
Instead, give yourself a fresh start. Don’t assume that you need to take the same steps to achieve the goal that you’ve tried in the past. Try something new, or focus on viewing the steps you’re taking in a new light.
If you’ve struggled to stick to a weekly yoga practice in the past, consider trying a new studio that may be better aligned with your abilities and mindset. Did you previously try learning a new language using only an online course? Consider an immersion course, or connect with an online study partner who speaks the language that you’re looking to learn, and who wants to learn the language that you speak. Letting go of past mistakes and focusing on taking new fresh steps may just be the thing that helps you finally achieve those goals that you’ve been dreaming of.
Setting Healthier Resolutions in 2022
About a quarter of all Americans set New Year’s resolutions each year. Whether you’re someone who tends to set goals for yourself at the start of the new year, only to eventually let them go, or not, learning how to set healthier resolutions and stick to them is a great way to make 2022 your best year yet.
If one of your goals for the year is to get healthy, let go of stress, improve your focus and productivity, or increase your flexibility, making yoga a part of your routine may be the answer.
With our 30 for $30 pass, new Sun Rock Yogis can try a variety of classes to find the right one for you, and jumpstart your practice. Sign up today to see the difference that the right studio can make for your health and well-being!