Making a New Year’s resolution is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, setting goals and setting out to improve yourself and your life is a very positive action to take. However, making unachievable resolutions is just setting you up for stress and disappointment.

 

Why do we start off the New Year by making resolutions we can’t keep?

 

Let me start off by saying I’m actually a fan of New Year’s resolutions. Every year, I reevaluate my current goals and set new ones for the year. However, I’m not a fan of unreasonable resolutions that set you up for failure. Or of the social pressure that comes every January 1st. Pressure does not create opportunity. It just creates stress.

 

On average, Americans make the same resolutions every year: lose weight, work out, eat better, quit smoking, save money and drink less. There’s nothing wrong with any of those resolutions. But I’m curious about the underlying reasons for them.

 

If you want to lose weight to look good in Instagram pictures or quit smoking so your partner stops bothering you about it- you’re more likely to break that resolution quickly. But if you want to lose weight to feel better about yourself and more content in your life, you may actually succeed! We need to start thinking about the intent behind these resolutions. Why do you want to achieve this goal? 

 

This episode is not about ragging on anyone who sets a New Year’s resolution. It’s about learning how to make resolutions that help you improve your life. I don’t want your goals to set you on a shame spiral. I want to help you achieve all your goals in a healthy way. We need to dig a little deeper into the “why” before we can get to the “how”.

What I discuss:

[00:05:07] The First New Year’s Resolutions

[00:06:54] Ten Most Popular Resolutions

[00:08:15] Why do we make New Year’s Resolutions?

[00:12:25] How to be successful at setting and keeping goals

[00:16:01] Questions to ask yourself when a resolution doesn’t pan out

 

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Resources: The First New Year’s Resolutions

The Average American and New Year’s Resolutions

Ringing in the New Year: A Study on New Year’s Resolutions

A Harvard Psychologist Explains the Danger of New Year’s Resolutions

If You’re Struggling This Year, Reach Out