4 Tips for Realistic New Year's Resolutions

Is this the year you finally achieve your goals?

We all like to think that this will be the year that we improve our diet, get As in all our classes and hit the gym every day. But how realistic is that?

According to the U.S. News & World Report, most people fail at their New Year's resolutions. 80% of those who set resolutions fail and most lose their motivation by mid-February. This is'nt to say you shouldn't have resolutions at all, but you'll benefit from setting yourself up for success.

The start of a new year is a great time to reflect on your habits and areas of your life you'd like to improve on. Here are 4 tips to make your 2020 resolutions stick!

1. Ask, what's the big picture?

Before you decide on a resolution, break down what your goals are and look at the bigger picture. If your goal is to eat clean or to get straight As, understand what that would entail. For example, if your goal is to getter better grades, maybe this stems from skipping class or not studying enough. Consider the reasons why you've been unable to meet this goal in the past and what would prevent you from reaching it now.

2. Reflect on your lifestyle

Are you a student living at home, or do you live on campus? How long is your commute? Do you live with a lot of people? How many hours a week are you in class or studying? Consider your lifestyle before setting your goals. If you're in class all day and have a two hour commute, you may not have the time to put in extra effort towards your goals.

Look at your situation and your schedule and set goals that are reasonable and achievable. For example, instead of telling yourself you're going to work out every day, aim to visit the gym two or three times a week. Try to walk and take the stairs when possible, to grab that little bit of extra exercise.

3. Integrate your goals slowly

A big reason why people fail in their resolutions is that they go all-in too fast. Sound like you? It's a pretty hefty goal to go to the gym every day if you haven't been in years. Start with smaller goals and work your way up. Instead of focusing on the year, start on a smaller, more achievable goal for the month of January and work on adding small goals as you go. This way you can iterate on your practice and see how working towards your goals makes you feel.

4. Be kind to yourself

Don't beat yourself up if you slip up sometimes. Beating yourself up for missing a day of working out or homework makes it feel easier to give up completely. It's okay if you miss a day. Life can get in the way. The real key is to recognize the opportunity to do better, and try again tomorrow.

With a little practice and a lot of hard work, you can achieve anything. Happy 2020! 🎇