New Year, New You: How to make your New Years Resolutions last!

It’s day 5 of 2013, meaning that you might have made some New Year’s resolutions. While we all have the best intentions of following through with them, it’s easy to lose sight of your goals so we put together a list of handy tricks and tips to help make your resolutions last all the way through December 31^st…

6 Tips to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Last 

1. Make measurable resolutions. Your resolutions should be easy to measure and attain. That way you can keep better track of your progress. When you make vague resolutions like, “Be fearless!” they end up being grandiose statements, which don’t do you much good.
2. Write them down! Things feel more official when you put pen to paper and you will feel more committed to them once they’re written down, too.
3. Review them. Keep your resolutions somewhere where you can see them on a daily basis. I keep my resolutions framed at my bedside. The reason being that it’s important to go back and reread your resolutions and consider the different ways you can achieve them. We love this trick that LC member Blair Arms shared: “I've put little post-its [notes] on my mirror as little reminders for when I get ready.” Or try this one from TT: “I wrote my resolutions on a notecard with a pretty pen. Then I put it in a cute tin box and set it on my dresser as a decoration. Every morning, whether I'm putting on jewelry or perfume, I am reminded of my resolutions!”
4. Make milestones. This suggestion is from Raven West: “I write down the big goal, and then write down all the little goals that will be milestones in helping me reach the large one. Checking off the little milestones shows me that while I may not have reached the large goal yet, I have made some progress toward it.”
5. Keep a journal. Emily Kait Hunter said, “[It’s] good idea to keep a journal (I know it's hard/weird to do) at the end of every week reflecting on what you've accomplished so there is no backsliding or tricking yourself into thinking you did something when you actually didn't. It doesn't have to be expansive or include every detail, but when you know you have to write things down there is a little extra caution, and effort during the week to accomplish or do the things you set out to do for your New Year's resolutions.” 
6. Make an inspiration board. If you’re a visual person, this is a great idea. Jennifer Sellen, suggested this idea: “My friend has an inspiration board to keep her motivated. She has clippings of places she wants to go, clothing she wants to buy and the number of the size she needs to get in shape to fit into those clothes, and she has motivational quotes and sayings on sticky notes on her mirror closet door... so every morning when she wakes up she will see that certain quote that will motivate her to do a certain something that day. I think I am going to do the same thing and I will also post my resolutions on that board and keep a log!!!” 

How are you going to stick to your 2013 resolutions?

Saskia XO