New Year / New You Sticking to Your Resolutions

By Erin Dozois

Statistics show that 80% of New Year ’s resolutions t ypically fail by the end of Februar y Why is that?

Psychology professor Peter Herman has identified what he calls the “false hope syndrome, ” which means resolutions are “significantly unrealistic and out of alignment with their internal view of themselves ” In other words, our good intentions can sometimes be too lofty to attain, leaving us feeling like failures when we don’t get the results we wanted

So this year we’re going to focus on the top 10 most declared New Year ’s resolutions from 2018 and see if we can’t break them down into more manageable steps

Get In Shape

• Enlist a friend to exercise with you

• Join a regular class where you’ll be missed if you sk ip sessions

• Use fitness technology like FitBit to char t your progress

• Star t slow and increase your fitness goals as your body adjusts to the new routine

S ave More Money

• Set a budget and stick to it.

• Buy and sell on eBay or at consignment shops

• Purchase refurbished elec tronics.

• Stock up on items you use all the time when they are on sale

• Bundle your auto, home and life insurance.

Get Organized

• Avoid unnecessar y clutter by avoiding impulse buying.

• Dedicate 10 minutes each day to delete old emails and file impor tant paper work

• Focus on one room at a time.

Reduce Stress

• Set aside 10 minutes a day to meditate

• Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.

• Get enough sleep

• Keep a stress diar y.

• Manage your time wisely

Stop Smoking and/or Drinking Too Much

• Avoid happy hour if you feel too tempted

• Consider counseling and/or anti-smok ing medication.

• Toss all your contraband

Get More Sleep

• Go to bed at the same time ever y night

• Avoid caffeine after midday

• Have your last alcoholic beverage at least two hours before bed.

• Transform your bedroom into a sleep haven with comfor table bedding, a serene color scheme and limited distrac tions (pets, T V, cellphone, etc )

Spend More Time with Friends and Family

• Devote time each week to either call or meet up.

• Take turns hosting dinner and par ties

• Sk ype with loved ones who don’t live close to home

Volunteer

• Research causes and nonprofit organizations to see where you could help out

• Donate furniture, clothing and other household items you no longer need

Live Life to the Fullest

• Take up a new hobby or learn a new sk ill

• Don’t be afraid to pamper yourself

• Tap into your creativity.

Travel More

• Be specific about where you want to go and what you’d like to do when you get there.

• Research what it ’s going to cost, what you’ll need to bring and how much time you’ll want to spend

• Create a budget and star t a travel fund.

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