New Year’s resolutions sliding? Do you find it hard to make New Year’s resolutions stick?

New Year’s resolutions need a rebrand. Nowadays, they often feel more demoralizing than promising. Too often fueled by an all-or-nothing mentality, we tend to lose motivation and abandon our goals a few months…or even a few weeks into the new year.

We make promises to ourselves, and we mean it, so, why do we give up?

• It might be due to a lack of motivation. The initial excitement that comes with setting a resolution can fade fast. This can lead to a lack of follow-through and ultimately, frustration.
• Insufficient planning. Without a clear plan 🪧or strategy in place, it can be easy to lose sight of your goals and the steps needed to achieve them.
• Too often life gets in the way! 🤸🏽Unexpected events or circumstances can arise that make it difficult to prioritize and focus on moving forward with your resolutions. Unforeseen challenges can interfere with your plans providing “opportunities” 😉 for giving up.
• Negative self-talk 🤐 It is not unusual to experience self-doubt or negative thoughts about our ability to follow through on our NewYears’ resolutions. These thoughts are often a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy and can be a major barrier to success😎

It’s not that most resolutions are unattainable. But to make them happen and sustainable, we have to shift the way we approach them. Here are some ways to overcome these barriers so that you feel good about reaching your future goals in 2023 – whether in your professional life, self-development, health and exercise, free time and hobbies or in your relationships.

• Set small, appropriate, achievable (SMART) goals.🎯 Instead of trying to tackle a big resolution all at once, break it down into smaller, more manageable but concrete goals. This can help build momentum and increase motivation.
• Create a plan or better a roadmap about where you see your future self in 5 months’ time. Be very specific. Write this down ✍🏻 and develop a strategy that includes clear steps or milestones and a timeline for achieving your resolutions that bring you lasting change.
• Use a temptation “bundling” strategy as promoted by Atomic Habits author James Clear. This increases your willpower and, as he writes, to stop procrastinating for good! Combine what you want to do with another routine. This piggybacking makes new habits so much easier to schedule and actually carry out.
• Be flexible 😂 Life can throw unexpected curveballs ⚾, so it’s important to be flexible and adapt. Make space for yourself to adjust your goals if needed.
• Practice self-compassion 💖 Remember it is okay to forget a day or slip up along the way. Acknowledge that you’re making progress and give yourself credit for what you’ve accomplished so far.
• Seek out support. Find an accountability partner. Surround yourself with people who will encourage and support you in your efforts. This will boost your confidence and provide a sense of positive obligation.
• Reflect on and celebrate your success 🎉 at regular intervals with a small reward that makes your eyes shine. Give yourself (self-care) a good pat on the back 😻

Intrinsic goals are those New Years’ resolutions that are personally connected to something that really matters to you. You’ll find them meaningful or satisfying because you show yourself that you can do it! And they allow you to learn and feel proud of your achievement. These are the resolutions that are often connected with what you choose to give and do – not only for yourself but for 💖others too.

Reach out to me, an accredited coach, to share your thoughts and get help designing your “sticky” plan for your better year 2023. Together, we can find out what it is that you need to create your better year and how you can turn your wishes into tangible goals and concrete action.