Tips to Make Your New Year’s Resolution Stick

As we near 2023, it’s no surprise that everyone is thinking of setting those New Year Resolutions. 

Setting goals doesn’t have to be daunting. Progress is rarely linear, so there is no reason to be hard on ourselves when we struggle with the expectations we carry into the year ahead.  

Below, we asked our team to share their New Year’s Resolutions and how they plan to stick to them.

Tip #1: If your resolution is to get moving…

Joanna’s goal:

Get up early to work out every other weekday morning.

How she plans to stick to her goal:

I’m going to add a calendar reminder to my phone, set out my workout clothes the night before, and reward myself with coffee!

Joanna’s tips for anyone struggling to keep their resolution:

Remember that any amount of progress is worth celebrating! If you’ve fallen off track, don’t feel that you should give up. Be proud of the work you’ve done so far and recommit to your original goal.

Tip #2: If your resolution is to learn something new…

Ken’s goal:

Learn something new; this is a category I have every year. Professionally, I would like to learn how to establish an education-focused non-profit that serves California residents. Personally, I want to learn to mountain bike at an intermediate level by taking at least 20 rides during the year.

How he plans to stick to his goal:

Find a friend! Getting someone else to partner with you on achieving the goal really helps. I will be working with my son on mountain biking.

Ken’s tips for anyone struggling to keep their resolution:

Small wins add up to a big win. In 2020, I had a goal of meditating at least twice a week. I now have established a pattern, but only do it for about 3 minutes at a time.  Next year my goal will be to meditate for 15 minutes by the end of the year. I can add 2 or 3 minutes every few months to reach my goal by year-end.

We all have friends that have said, “I am going to work out five days a week,” and the first week they miss five days, they regress to their previous behavior or pattern. Make SMART goals that build on past success.

Tip #3: If your resolution is to stay mindful…

Erica’s goal:

For the past few years, I’ve used the meditation app Simple Habit, and for 2021, I want to make a goal of doing a 3-5-minute meditation every morning.

How she plans to stick to her goal:

I plan to set alerts on my phone when I wake up to remind me it’s time to meditate. I’ve also found that incorporating my goal into my morning routine helps make it a longer (and more frequently kept) practice. I’ll just add meditate to my morning ritual of walking my dog, making a cup of tea, stretching, and reading something I enjoy!

Erica’s tips for anyone struggling to keep their resolution:

Be kind to yourself. If you forget to meditate or workout one morning but do it the other six days of the week, you’re not a failure. You’re not behind. Celebrate the small wins; all progress is good progress and habits sometimes take time to fully form. You have to be inside your head, listening to your thoughts, all day – why not make it a more positive place?

Tip #4: If your resolution is to look good and feel good…

Casey’s goal:

Focus more on my self-care (hair, skin, what I eat, workout routine, etc.)

How she plans to stick to her goal:

I plan to invest in products and food that will better my body/skin rather than waste money on cheap products that do little to nothing in the long run.

I finally realized that I want to take the new year to focus on myself, enhance my skincare, and my relationship with food (fewer cheat days, more quality food), etc. I’ve always cared about these things, but never really had the chance to invest in them because of the hustle and bustle of my “normal” pre-COVID routine.

Casey’s tips for anyone struggling to keep their resolution:

Get an accountability partner. I’ve found both at work and home, if I have someone to keep me accountable toward my goals, it’s easier for me to be mindful of those goals daily and stick with them because I know that person will ask me how things are going at some point. It’s even better if that partner has the same goal as you, and you’re in it together! Either way, the support is priceless.

Success is all about choosing the right goal and the process you use to go about achieving it. Whether you set reminders to get moving or find an accountability partner, try to be kind and flexible with yourself and celebrate the big – and small – wins. Remember, it’s not just the end goal that matters, it’s the journey along the way.