Making Resolutions You Will Stand By For 12 Months

During the beginning of this year we discussed this topic. Since we’re rounding the curve, it only makes sense to do the same once again! Actually, before we dive in…

Happy New Year! 

Now that we’ve taken care of the pleasantries let’s talk about an important thing – those pesky New Year’s resolutions. You know, the “New Year, New Me” stuff. Because we’re still under the influence of the global pandemic, many New Year’s resolutions usually revolve around things we can do at home and by ourselves.

Mainly, these are related to eating better, fixing/changing old horrible habits, losing weight, changing our diets, getting rid of junk, wasting less money, drinking less alcohol, quitting vaping or smoking etc. 

Guess how many of us are truly ready to stand by these resolutions and see them to the end of the year? That’s right; you guessed it – NOT MANY. 

In fact, very few of us are ready to take charge of our lives and make a New Year’s resolution that we’re prepared to keep up with throughout the entire year. In 2022, don’t be that girl or guy! We want you to succeed in everything. 

Whether that means becoming a cam superstar or more fit than you’ve ever been! That’s why we’ll talk about making New Year’s resolutions that you will want to stand by and perhaps more important, making them in such a way that will make you want to stay true to them.

Why Do New Year’s Resolutions Fail?

Let’s face it, we’ve all made a New Year’s resolution at one time or another during our lives, but not all of us have stood by it and seen it to the end. 

No, in fact, only about 10-20% of the people who make a New Year’s resolution actually keep it. That’s not all that impressive! So, if you’re in that group, then pat yourself on the back.

According to one study, about 35% of people who made a New Year’s resolution in 2020 kept it, about half kept some of their resolutions, and over 16% did not keep any. Lots of people don’t even bother with the resolutions. They just say, screw it, I am who I am. That’s a bad way to live life. Don’t settle! 

If you wonder why many people fail, the answer is simple: people usually set very high goals that are unattainable. The goals people set may seem optimistic at first, but these are usually so high above their normal everyday activities that their bodies can’t withstand the changes.

It usually pertains to New Year’s resolutions related to weight loss (48%), changing your diet (39%), achieving an extreme body transformation (50%), saving a ton of money (44%), or even extreme challenges like preparing to run a marathon in three months. 

Well, the secret to a New Year’s resolution that you’d like to keep lies in making one that you will want to do. This way, you can gradually adjust your goals and lifestyle that will not shock your system but bring long-term success.

How To Keep a New Year’s Resolution?

Before we go into detail about some New Year’s resolutions that can improve your life and you’ll be happy to keep, here are some general suggestions on how to keep a New Year’s resolution..

Set Attainable Goals

Instead of making a New Year’s resolution to “lose weight,” set a goal to lose two pounds a month for the next 12 months. You will have smaller, more measurable goals that you will be happy to achieve and be motivated to continue.

Get Enough Sleep

When you get enough sleep regularly, you are prone to make sounder decisions. You will be more relaxed and rested, be in a better mindset, and you can make a better, more realistic New Year’s resolution. But getting enough sleep is essential for all aspects of life, as sleep is not a luxury but a necessity. 

Prepare Yourself Well In Advance

To keep your New Year’s resolutions, you should prepare yourself and get in the right mindset. If you prepare your mindset ahead of time, and get the necessary skills to change, you will have a greater chance of keeping your New Year’s resolutions.

Most Popular New Year’s Resolutions

Now that we’ve talked about why people fail their New Year’s resolutions, and provided essential advice on how to prepare yourself for success better, here is a list of the most popular New Year’s resolutions…

Eat Better/Cook More/Eat Healthier

This New Year’s resolution is always one of the most popular ones. For example, in 2020, about 50% of people had this on their list of resolutions. It is similar to the resolutions on eating more fruits and vegetables, reducing junk food, and cooking more.

If you have any of these on your list, we suggest you take the route of creating a diet plan to include balanced foods in your diet. Also, by including more fruits and veggies and incorporating healthy snacks in your daily menu, your body will be healthier, and your energy levels will get a much-needed boost.

Don’t rely on fast diets that promise incredible results – these seldom work. Instead, change your habits gradually, and you will note improvement in your health and lifestyle. Include seasonal and local ingredients, cook your meals at home, and bring your lunch to work. Instead of snacking on processed snacks, pack a fruit salad or a bag of mixed nuts – you will very soon note a difference. 

Lose Weight/Get In Shape

This is the second-most-popular New Year’s resolution, as about 48% of people put this on their lists. January sees more gym subscriptions than any other month, proving that people wish to lose weight and get in shape. But most fail because of setting undefined goals. 

To be successful, it is better to set gradual goals. For example, set a goal to lose two to three pounds per month for the next 6-12 months instead of only adding the resolution to lose weight.

Combine this with eating better and including more fruits and vegetables in your diet, and you can set your mindset at keeping this New Year’s resolution.

I’d also like to mention how crucial it is to focus on the short term gains and not the whole. Focusing on being just 1% better will lead to exponential gains or wins over time.

Save More Money

Another prevalent New Year’s resolution that about 40% of people add to their list is to save more money. But this often fails because people don’t set a goal of saving a set amount of money.

The resolution should be set differently to be successful: instead of simply saving more money, it should be “save X amount each month.”

You can note the difference, and at the end of each month, you can easily calculate if you’ve kept with your New Year’s resolution.

To Wrap Up

It’s easy to make a New Year’s resolution or a whole list of them. However, the tricky part is to keep them and actually achieve the set goals. Here are the stats on success and fail rates in the first six months of setting your New Year’s resolutions:

Week 1 – 75% of people are successful in keeping their New Year’s resolution

Week 2 – 71% of people are successful in keeping their New Year’s resolution

Month 1 – 64% of people still keep their resolutions

Month 6 – 46% of people are still keeping their New Year’s resolution

From this, you can easily understand that the numbers gradually fall, and to avoid being one of the people who will fail or don’t reach their goals, follow our advice, set achievable goals, and get in a mindset for success. Happy New Year, and good luck with your New Year’s resolutions!

Oh, and if you set any big goals and end up achieving them, please share them with us. We’re your biggest cheerleader when it comes to winning at everything in life in general!