New Year’s Resolutions You’ll Actually Want to Keep
New year, new you, right? Resolutions such as losing weight, getting organized, or exercising more are all great but are typically hard to stick with. In fact, a 2018 study showed that while 80% of people created New Year’s resolutions, only 8% actually kept them. We don’t really like those odds, so it might be time to try a new approach and focus on a theme instead. We say the best resolution for 2020 is all about you and a commitment to self-care.
More Than Just Willpower
The key to keeping your New Year’s resolution goes beyond willpower. It’s about understanding that anything we set in motion requires full commitment and a willingness to change. It takes time, energy and effort, and of course a little bit of patience. The idea is don’t just come up with something on New Year’s Eve but instead set a plan, determine what’s important to you, and get ready to make a change for good.
Why Self-Care?
Self-care is not something you get around to every now and again. It’s actually a life-long commitment to ensure your life is running smoothly and your “best self” shows up every day. Most people definitely don’t think twice about putting self-care on the backburner, and while it may sound a little indulgent, self-care is crucial to our physical, emotional and mental well-being. It’s how you recharge, build confidence, and balance things out so you can go out there and get after it.
How to Make It Happen
Don’t let taking care of yourself happen only after you’ve completed all your tasks for the week (and that’s if you have any time left). Here are a few of our favorite ways to put yourself first:
- Schedule it: Make a resolution to actually schedule time for yourself on your calendar; just as you would a meeting or event; and don’t cancel it.
- Learn what sets you off: Stress is a huge factor in our daily lives, so one of the best things you can do is understand what causes you to become stressed, tired, nervous or frustrated in the first place. The goal here is preventing, not fixing.
- Detox from social media and toxic people: Surround yourself with supportive and healthy relationships, and stop texting, following or engaging with ones that don’t support you or your goals. You’ll be amazed at what can happen when you disconnect from social media and your phones for just a few hours each day.
- Take care of yourself before there is an issue: From your healthcare to your skincare, focus on taking a preventive approach in 2020. Change your thinking and actually go to the doctor when you are feeling your best (this includes therapy too), and not just when there is an issue. This goes for skincare, fitness, and diet too. Stress definitely takes a toll on your face and body, so adding facials, yoga, or massage to your regular routine can make all the difference in how you look and feel. Make it a goal to get all your “well” appointments scheduled and taken care of this year.