{"id":18430,"date":"2024-01-16T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-16T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/?p=18430"},"modified":"2024-01-16T09:28:51","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T14:28:51","slug":"make-your-new-years-resolution-a-habit-that-sticks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/make-your-new-years-resolution-a-habit-that-sticks\/","title":{"rendered":"Make Your New Year\u2019s Resolution a Habit that Sticks\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Most New Year\u2019s resolutions are fundamentally about habit-forming. When you consider some of the most popular resolutions\u2014saving money, lowering stress, exercising more\u2014you\u2019ll find that each one is actually an umbrella term for many kinds of sustained behavioral change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating new habits can make the difference between a flash-in-the-pan trend and a lifelong practice. Roughly 80% of people struggle to stick to their New Year\u2019s resolutions for longer than six weeks<\/a> in part because they focus too much on the desired outcome, and not enough on the day-to-day progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, try out the much more sustainable and effective method of gradual self-improvement. Once you\u2019ve settled on a positive goal for your New Year\u2019s resolution, use this guide to help you achieve it through the power of habit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan ahead <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This year, pair your New Year\u2019s resolution with an achievable plan of action. This will help you take that all-important first step, and provide a sense of structure that will help you stay on track through the normal ups and downs of the year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can do yourself a huge favor early on by acquiring any equipment you need. For example, if you\u2019re pursuing fitness goals by resolving to run at least five miles per week, don\u2019t wait too long to secure things like a good pair of running shoes, comfortable athletic clothing, and an arm strap to hold your phone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Set measurable milestones  <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A major reason why people stumble when trying to make sustained positive changes in life is because their goals are either too big or too vague. For example, if your New Year\u2019s resolution centers on learning a new language, you shouldn\u2019t expect to be fluent by the end of the year. That would just be setting yourself up for failure.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, take a leaf out of the book of Kaizen<\/a>, a Japanese philosophy dedicated to the power of incremental improvements. Taking the language example again, the Kaizen approach might look something like this: <\/p>\n\n\n\n