Keeping a new year’s resolution...

Someone who read my last blog told me “New year's resolutions are fine, but keeping them is much harder than choosing onr. How can I keep it?” I know, many of the resolutions I made over the years have never come through the first time around, so while choosing a resolution feels exciting and full of possibility, keeping it is another story when our best plans get tested by the real world.

The good news is that there are simple, practical strategies that can help us stick with our annual goals. We should begin by not setting traps for ourselves with strict, all‑or‑nothing resolutions, like “I’ll never eat sugar again!” that tend to fall apart the moment life gets messy around us. It would appear that exploratory goals like “I’ll start moving more this month” give us directions without punishing us for missing a day. 

If we can structure the resolution through a system and not just willpower, like tracking it, regular reminders, weekly check‑in with a friend or a calendar that gently reminds us. Psychologists also recommend attaching a new habit to an existing one, for example, stretching after brushing our teeth or journaling right after our morning coffee. 

This uses our brain’s existing wiring to make the new habit stick. Unlike what I tend to do, framing resolutions like a stern command (“I must…”) create resistance, but goals that feel meaningful, playful, or connected to our values are far more sustainable. For instance, I see in my new year’s resolution a challenge that I am ready to overcome and that simple thought often gives me enough energy to see it through. 

Finally, setbacks threaten the best of us, so if and when they happen, let’s treat them as data, not failure. People who succeed long‑term don’t avoid slip‑ups; they just don’t let them derail the whole goal. A missed day is just a missed day, not a verdict. 

Good luck!