I sat down with Sarah Freemark on CTV Ottawa Morning Live on New Years Eve to talk about how to set your New Year’s Resolutions for 2015 and how to make your New Year Resolutions stick! In case you missed the original broadcast, you can catch the replay here below.
How to Make Your New Year Resolutions Stick!
1) Be very clear and precise about the changes you want to make.
– it’s not good enough to say I want to lose weight or get in shape
– your goal needs to be very clear what – I want to be able to do 50 push up or go for an hour walk every day or do 10 chin ups
– write it down
– put it in your calendar
– have reminders on your phone, your fridge, in your car, on your mirror in the bathroom
2) Make small changes at first
We all tend to take on more then we can handle – often our mind and our heart disagree
Will power is exhaustible It’s hard to resist temptation all of the time.
Change is difficult – surround yourself with people who will support and encourage your changes
Find someone who your really trust who will hold you accountable and who will be there for you when your will power is low. Someone you can call on no matter what time of day or night
3) Celebrate small successes
We wait too long to celebrate the small changes we’ve made
Celebrate that tiny movement forward your making towards your goal
Let others who support you know of your successes
Take before, partway & after photos – Take photos or a video for yourself showing your improvements
Talk about your failures but don’t beat yourself up if you’re had a setback.
4) Create the environment for success
– if you want to lose weight – fill your home with healthy food
– if you want to work out more often – have your gym clothes packed & with you at work – sleep in your gym clothes for your morning work out
– if you want to learn another language – have the radio tuned to that French Italian Spanish channel, find a French speaking group that meets weekly to practice, get a Spanish book to read, watch an Italian movie
– if you want to get rid of stuff or clean up your cupboards – get boxes, bags to throw out or donate item you don’t use anymore
5) Don’t get discouraged!
– every day is a new day to change something
– we all have set backs but don’t throw. The baby out with the bath water
– be gentle & compassionate with yourself
– there is support for you
– look for groups at community centres or on Internet that support your goals and beliefs
– meeting in person or online to talk about & share your goals, challenges, failures & successes
Happy New Years Everyone!
