Have You Kept Your New Year’s Resolutions?
As January comes to an end, will you give up on keeping your New Year’s resolutions? Many of us make resolutions or promises to ourselves to change for the better in the coming year. The most common resolutions usually involve health changes such as developing better eating habits, curbing spending, avoiding gambling, quitting smoking, abstaining from drugs or no longer drinking alcohol.
Here are some tips for keeping your New Year’s resolutions for the long term:
Set realistic goals. Lofty goals can be inspirational, but they can also be overwhelming and daunting. Break down large or long-term goals into more manageable and achievable steps. Accept that you won’t be able to change overnight. Changing behavior takes time, planning and effort.
Outline a plan. In addition to motivation, you need a strategy. Decide how you will deal with temptations. List reasons you want to change your behavior. Remind yourself how your destructive habits or addictions affect your life negatively. Focus on how achieving your goals will change your life for the better. Anticipate triggers and plan to cope with them in a healthy way versus resorting to old behaviors. Plan alternate activities to replace unhealthy habits. Keep yourself busy to avoid boredom or excessive downtime.
Have a support system. Alter your surroundings to support your new healthy behavior. Stay away from people who encourage undesirable behavior and do not support your newfound commitment to good health. Surround yourself with positive energy and positive people. If you want additional support, attend group meetings with people who have like-minded goals. You also might want to designate a person as your support person – someone you can call or contact if you feel you are slipping.
Make yourself accountable. Tell family and friends about your goals and plans. The more people to whom you announce your intentions, the more you will feel beholden to stay true to your plans and healthy goals. Interaction with other people and sharing your progress can be highly motivating. Plus, everyone can use cheerleaders and positive reinforcement.
Keep trying. If you slip up, don’t give up. Persistence is the key. Don’t allow minor setbacks to derail your efforts. The key is to rebound from a setback versus allowing it to snowball into a full-blown relapse. Take each day one day at a time. If that feels overwhelming, take an hour at a time. If that seems overwhelming, use 10-minute increments.
Be positive. Maintain a positive attitude. Don’t frame your resolutions in a negative way – focus on what you will be gaining versus what you are trying to give up. Think about how much healthier you will feel and how much better your life will be if you succeed in making a positive change. Success brings its own rewards.
Reward yourself. When you meet certain mini-goals or reach a milestone in your journey, reward yourself. Small rewards such as a trip to the movies, downloading new music, picking up a great book or enjoying a long bath provide encouragement and inspiration. You’ll feel good about yourself and look forward to your next reward.
Despite heartfelt vows to change, some people cannot achieve their goals without professional help and guidance. There is no shame in seeking help to improve your life and rid yourself of destructive habits. If you feel you could use some professional tools to aid in your quest for a better life, you might find the “Breaking Free Weekend” or “Weeklong Intensive” programs particularly useful in jumpstarting your journey to a healthier lifestyle. These programs are also helpful for those who have had professional treatment in the past and are worried about relapsing into old habits. Please contact Shades of Hope for a free private consultation.
Note: If you plan to abstain from using certain substances (alcohol, prescription medication or illicit drugs), please consult a physician beforehand as withdrawal from some substances should be medically supervised. If you are new to exercise, please consult a physician before starting a new exercise regime. If you plan to start a new diet, please consult a physician or a licensed nutritionist.
Tags: 2010, addiction treatment, breaking bad habits, new year, new year's resolutions, shades of hope
