How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

It’s a new year. For many people, this means it’s also time to reevaluate life choices and set some resolutions. However, setting them and actually keeping them are two very different things. With that in mind, here are the most important things you must do if you want a new you:

1. Be specific. Simply saying “I want to exercise more” or “I want to read more” doesn’t cut it. Odds are if you don’t explicitly decide how much you’re going to do these things, they just won’t happen. Make your goals quantifiable so you can easily track your progress.

2. Make it official. Put pen to paper and write down exactly what you are going to accomplish. By signing and dating it, it can even become a personal contract. Keep the document somewhere accessible and refer to it daily to remain committed.

3. Find a support system. Tell friends and family about your goals and ask them to hold you accountable for staying on track. Make sure the people you choose are positive and will encourage you to persevere.

4. Anticipate obstacles. Don’t let slip-ups shake your confidence. Recognize that there will be times when staying disciplined becomes difficult. Accept it.

5. Reward yourself. Establish checkpoints and reward yourself when you reach them. For example, if your goal is to run three times a week, buy yourself a new pair of running shorts when you’ve kept it up for a month. If you have something to look forward to, you’ll be much more likely to stick to your goals.