Newsletter for Active Older Adults
How To Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions 8. Track your progress
“Keep data to help you track your progress, but it can also help you on days where it’s not going well,” says Dr. Albers. “Looking back over time to see how you’re doing can help keep you motivated.” She suggests keeping a journal or tracking your progress on an app. If your goal is focused on exercise, for instance, there are numerous apps to log your activity. Ditto for food-based resolutions. But you don’t necessarily need a solution that’s specific to your resolution. Try a habit-tracking app or journal to make it easy to keep track of what you’ve been up to. Try setting an intention instead of a resolution There’s something to be said for setting specific goals — but there are other ways to focus on self-improvement, too. If you’re not in the mood to pick a New Year’s resolution in the traditional sense, Dr. Albers says that you could try to set an intention instead. This might include, for example, “I want to be more positive” or “I’m going to be more adventurous.” How to not break your New Year’s resolutions Here’s a realistic expectation regarding resolutions: You may not follow through with it. In fact, one study found that nearly 1 out of 4 resolutionmakers didn’t maintain their new behavior past a week. One month into the new year, almost half of the participants had already given up on their goals. In other words, it happens. But you can get back on track any time, not just at the start of the year. “Real and lasting change happens when a person feels ready, not by picking an arbitrary date on a calendar,” Dr. Albers says. If you encounter struggles, don’t give up. Instead, focus on getting back on track and not beating yourself up over a misstep. “Be kind and compassionate toward yourself,” she encourages. “Change takes time. Just keep going and be persistent. Come back to your goal and give yourself an opportunity to make changes in small and achievable ways.” Here’s to a new you in the new year. Good luck!