1.11.2021 – New Year’s Resolutions
Why we don’t stick to our New Year’s Resolutions
92% of Resolutions fail, most by mid-February
January 11, 2021 – Whether your resolution started with its own hashtag, like #DryJanuary, or was something more simple, we all struggle to keep them at the forefront of our priorities come mid-February. Why is it so hard to better ourselves??
Let’s start with why we even make resolutions in the first place.
According to Ray Williams, New Year’s Resolutions, which are primarily a Western Hemisphere tradition going back 4,000 years, are where “a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior, to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve their life.” Making resolutions has many parallels to religion, where sacrifice and reflection are popular methods of atonement for wrongdoings in the previous year.
Most of us on January 1 focus on bettering ourselves physically and financially. This means we typically make resolutions to stop drinking as much alcohol, consuming as much sugar, stop tobacco use, etc.
Here are the most popular resolutions for 2021:
- Exercise more (50%)
- Lose Weight (48%)
- Saving Money (44%)
- Improve Diet (39%)
- Pursue Career Ambition (21%)
The most popular resolution is to exercise more in the following year. If 50% of us resolve to exercise more, why do we drop off after 1 month?
It seems that we realize we don’t have the tools, skill, motivation or time to focus on pushing our bodies past our comfort level. Going to the gym takes time, money, and effort. It sounds simple. Add in the additional planning of babysitters, COVID-19 rules and restrictions, and diet changes, going to the gym is the LAST thing any of us will follow through with. “I’ll just eat a carrot” has been a phrase used in our household before.
So how do you beat the Resolution Fatigue?
1) Set SMART goals
Ex: “I will go to the gym 1 time a week for 3 months”2) Accountability
Write your goals down where you see them often. Workout with a partner. Hire a personal trainer.
(Hint: I know where to find a personal trainer)
3) Accept small setbacks
You will have cheat days, injuries, illnesses, etc. Don’t let those days ruin your progress.
Life Coach Florian Wüest says “Focus on progression, not perfection.”
Make 2021 resolutions the ones you finally stick with. Checkout our website for more tips and tricks on how to be the best you.