Happy New Year!
According to Pew Research, 38.5% of adults in the US make resolutions for the new year. This varies by age, with younger adults being more likely than older adults to make New Year’s resolutions.
Only about 25% of people stick to their resolution after 30 days, and less than 10% completely meet the goals they’ve set. There’s even a “Quitter’s Day,” the second Friday in January, which is thought to be when most people give up on their resolutions.
This doesn’t mean you can’t be successful with your New Year’s resolutions. Most New Year’s resolutions include some sort of behavior change – eating better, going to the gym more, reaching out to friends more often, etc. How do we successfully change our behavior? There are a few things to keep in mind:
- Set realistic expectations: If you think of yourself as a “couch potato,” don’t set a goal to exercise for two hours every day. Pick a more realistic goal, like walking for twenty minutes three times per week. You can always adjust the goal later if it’s going well!
- Don’t use all-or-nothing thinking: People will sometimes give up a goal the first time they don’t meet it. Success or failure aren’t the only options; you can have a partial success or continuous progress and achieve just as much in the end!
- Reward yourself for progress: Figure out some way to congratulate yourself for progress you’ve made. This could look like gifting yourself a new book after using healthier eating habits for a week.
- Hold yourself accountable: We tend to stick to goals more when we are held accountable for them. Some people like to announce their resolutions in a public way, like on social media. Others benefit from finding an “accountability buddy,” someone who will support their efforts. Yet others like to use apps or old school paper-and-pencil tracking methods. Find what works for you!
- Ask for outside help if you need it: Some goals, like giving up smoking, could benefit from some extra assistance. Project Filter offers counseling and other resources for Idahoans looking to give up smoking, chewing, or vaping.
- If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again – or don’t: It’s okay to have setbacks. It’s okay to adjust your goals. It’s okay to decide a goal isn’t right for you, or it isn’t the right time to take on a big behavior change. Don’t fret too much about it – decide if you want to recommit or move on.
If you’ve made a resolution this new year, hopefully these tips are helpful, and good luck!
– Dr. Kendra Westerhaus, PhD, is a child psychologist at Health West. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology in 2012 from Idaho State University and was licensed the following year. She specializes in providing therapy and assessments for children and adolescents.
