Making Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick While Maintaining Your Sanity

It’s January and all anyone can ask is: “Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?” With that question comes a lot of pressure to come up with something good to say or share something very personal. Not to mention the fact that you now need to try to make good on it.

For anyone with any form of anxiety, this can be daunting. You’re not alone and here’s why:

1. Resolutions are drastic.

There’s no in-between. A resolution is resolving to start or stop an action effectively from that moment. Habits don’t just form overnight. One doesn’t just wake up the next morning transformed. It takes time.

2. Resolutions are set up for failure.

There are no guidelines on how to achieve the goal. As mentioned earlier, habits don’t form overnight and there is a multitude of ways to achieve an end goal. Without a plan, it is easy to lose focus.

3. Resolutions induce anxiety.

Typically, we avoid things that cause distress to avoid feelings of anxiety or discomfort. When we begin to suddenly confront it all, it can become uncomfortable and overwhelming. Usually, we’ll continue to avoid it to reduce those negative feelings. Thus, perpetuating an avoidant cycle.

 

With all that being said, a new year marks a fresh slate and people are bound to want to make changes. There are ways to do so while making those resolutions stick and maintaining your sanity.

1. Create goals, not resolutions.

Failure sucks and repeatedly failing is even more discouraging. When you resolve to start or stop something cold turkey, there’s a tendency to falter. Instead, create actionable steps that you can achieve. Succeeding at baby steps is far better than failing at a giant leap repeatedly.

2. Create a roadmap and stick to it.

It’s easier to get to your destination if you know where to go. Develop a plan and be ready to adapt when needed.

3. Face your anxiety little by little.

The avoidant cycle leads to a mountain you need to overcome. Try tackling projects piece by piece. Attempting even just 1 percent of a task gets you further along than not even attempting anything at all. Temporary anxiety may be experienced but it reduces long term anxiety overall.

 

Anxiety tends to creep up when you feel you aren’t where you need to be. Take it easy. Life is not a race. Slow and steady is a better mantra than hoping for an overnight miracle. When stress begins to build up, get fresh air or meditate. Remove yourself from those stressors briefly to center yourself before returning to the task at hand. This year, try not to be so hard on yourself and reward yourself for each milestone along the way. Celebrate the victories no matter the magnitude and keep hustling towards a brighter tomorrow. With goals in hand, you’ll surely stick to your New Year’s Resolutions!