Tips to Actually Following Through With Your New Year’s Resolution

By Mia Sherin, January 2, 2021

It’s officially 2021. You made it. One of the most historically horrible years we have ever seen is in the past, and now we can move forward with a fresh slate full of opportunity. Will you get a promotion this year? Fall in love? Make a really great grilled cheese? Who knows, and that’s the most fun part! But if you’re someone like me who likes to take control of the new year, you probably made a New Year’s Resolution. While these can be a great way to plan your joy and focus on self-improvement, it’s also easy to let those goals slip through the cracks. So, if you’re committed to making your resolution come to life, here are a few tips to help you make it happen.

1. Pick a goal that is feasible for you!

The biggest mistake people make when picking a New Year’s Resolution is setting a goal that is very difficult to achieve. Start by choosing something that is realistic and doable. If you have never been to the gym, instead of saying you will go five days a week, shoot for one. If you want to cook more and order in less, pick a few recipes you know you want to try, rather than saying you’ll never use GrubHub againn.

2. The abstract is your enemy

For New Year’s Resolutions, it will be hard to measure your progress and stay motivated if your goal is too abstract. For example, rather than resolving to prioritize your loved ones, make a goal to call your family every Sunday night or make plans with friends once a week. While my goal initially was to read more, I decided instead to shoot for reading five books this year. It will be easier for me to track my progress and hold myself accountable.

3. Get your friends in on it

You want to get to the gym more? Ask a friend to be your buddy! It will make the experience so much more fun, and on the days when you’re feeling unmotivated, they can pick up the slack, and vice versa. Hoping to cook more? See if a friend will take a cooking class with you! If you can join forces, you both are more likely to achieve your resolution and have more fun doing it.

4. Grab that pen and paper

Journal, journal, journal. If you have a notebook, a planner, or even just a notes page on your phone, you can keep a log of your New Year’s Resolution progress. Whether you use that space to write down recipes, the dates you called your mom, or how good you felt after making progress, keeping track will only help facilitate success.

5. Do it for the right reasons

Having good motivation is the key to achieving a goal and feeling good after you’ve done it. If you’re cutting out your morning Starbucks, come up with something you want to save up for (maybe a dream vacation? Or a new camera to take all those photos like you wanted?). And if you’re planning to hit the gym more often, do it for the serotonin, for the feel-good hormones, rather than for the mirror-selfies. But either way, find a motivation that works for you, whatever that may be. With the right drive pushing your forward, your New Year’s Resolution will come to life.