2020 is fast approaching and it’s the turn of a new year and new decade. This means time to start afresh and achieve your goals. Here are our top tips to succeed with your new year’s resolutions…

New Year, New You! Making New Year’s Resolutions is something that traditionally looks for people to implement big changes in their lives come the stroke of midnight. Stop doing this, start doing that! But is it always worth it and should you really be looking to overhaul who you are as you ring in the new year? Well, that is something only you can answer and while there is nothing stopping you using a new year, and in this case a new decade as a new starting point to change, there is also nothing written in stone that says you must change who you are and what you love just because it is a new year. But if making changes and implementing new habits is something you are looking to do then it makes sense that you know exactly what you want to do and exactly what results you expect to achieve before you make a start.

So how can you make sure you can follow through on any changes you make to help you keep it up throughout January and the rest of the year? We have some tips and tricks to help you make the most of your resolutions or new year changes to give yourself the best chance of sticking to your goals.

Do it for the right reasons

Are you making your new year’s resolutions because you think you should or someone else told you to? Be honest, if you aren’t doing it for the right reasons then chances are you won’t be able to stick to it. This could be anything you try to change or embrace. You need to be doing it for you because you want to do it not for someone else. This can drastically affect your motivation and have a real impact on your chances of success.

Remember: you don’t need to do something just because other people are doing it. Don’t go with the flow and follow trends. If it doesn’t work for you don’t do it. Instead, look to take on something that will work for you and benefit you in the long term. Or even simply forgo the making of any new year’s resolutions instead of doing it for the sake of doing it!

Make a Plan

We all know that the busiest time of year for gyms is in January. Come February all that initial enthusiasm inevitably wears off as people abandon their goals of getting fit/losing weight/being healthier.

If you are looking to start working out this coming new year. Make a plan before you sign those forms and commit to a membership. Look for something that will work for you and you will enjoy doing before signing on the dotted line. Make sure you know the type of workout you want to take on, how often you expect to do it and what commitment you will need your end to reach your target. 

A great exercise to take up yoga, especially if you are going from being totally inactive or you simply need a different routine to what you are doing currently. For example, finding the perfect yoga instructor can make or break your efforts and finding someone you are comfortable with can help you achieve your goals as you go forward.

Even if you aren’t looking to work out, setting a goal for anything new you take on is essential. Otherwise, you have nothing to aim for or work towards and at some point, you may find yourself wandering off our new path and into bad habits.

Get a planner or a diary and chart your progress and goals as you reach them to keep you motivated to keep going.

Give Yourself a Break

Making changes can be hard going. Especially if you are looking for ones that will overhaul your life completely. Bear this in mind as you start your new journey. Change isn’t always easy and it can take a while to implement new habits. 66 days in fact. That is how long experts say it takes before something becomes a habit and you do it automatically.

So don’t be too hard on yourself if you slip up or lose momentum. We’re only human, not machines and sometimes we make mistakes. And when it comes to building new habits and adopting new changes, chances are it will take a while before you stop having to think about what you are doing and it becomes part of your routine.

On the flip side, celebrate those successes no matter how small and give yourself the push to keep going.

Don’t Over Do It

Sure, the temptation may be there to give your lifestyle a complete overhaul but is that really a wise decision?

Chances are if you are trying to do too much at once, you won’t be able to fully focus on giving it your all. Why not start with one change. Implement that into your lifestyle and when you are happy with the changes, work on something new.

It is about building new habits for life not for January and taking on too much at once could have the opposite effect on what you are trying to achieve. So take it slow, day by day and work up to newer changes. For example, if you are wanting to overhaul your diet and start working out, why not focus on one area first, like your diet before you add exercise into the mix. this way you can build a stronger healthier body for working out knowing that you can still keep up with your dietary changes when you hit the gym too.

The same if you are giving up smoking or something else. Focus on the one thing first until you know you can sustain your new changes and habits and then start work on other areas knowing you are smashing your goals at a pace that works for you. Follow these easy tips and you’ll succeed at your new year’s resolutions in no time…