5 Ways to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions
By Donna Brooks
Each new year brings a clean slate, a fresh start, and a chance for a do-over. It’s a time for learning from the mistakes of the past and making resolutions for a better future.
According to the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, about 40 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions each year, but how many are able to keep them? A Psychology Today article cites a University of Scranton study of 200 people who made New Year’s resolutions. In that study, only 19 percent were successful in reaching their goal. However, that same study found that people who made resolutions were 10 times more likely to make positive change than those who wanted to change but did not make resolutions.
So how can you be successful in keeping your New Year’s resolutions? Here are five ways that will help you stay on track:
1. Talk to God about it. “God specializes in giving people a new start,” says Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California. In fact, God says it clearly in His Word: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) What’s more is that God gives us a clean slate not only at the beginning of the New Year, but also at the beginning of each new day: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Ask God for His guidance when making resolutions and for the strength to carry them out.
2. Define your resolutions. What is your motivation to change? What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Write it down and carry it in your wallet or purse. Then make a clear plan of action for achieving it.
3. Start small. Lock in one new habit at a time — daily Bible reading, for example — so that it becomes a part of your life. According to a study from the University College of London, it takes 66 days on average to establish a new habit.
4. Get a little help from your friends. Your friends can be your biggest supporters. Let them know about the resolutions you are making. Ask them to hold you accountable, or even better, hold each other accountable. Help your friends with their resolutions too.
5. Give yourself a break. Making changes in your life is hard. If you slip up, don’t beat yourself up for it. Just keep at it. Prayer and perseverance are the keys to success.
Donna Brooks is communications coordinator at LowCountry Community Church and a freelance writer and editor. In her free time, she is an avid runner, reader, photographer and traveler.