Self Improvement for Beginners

Hey Guys! It’s Amy from Self Improvement for Beginners wishing you a Happy New Year (though the greeting is quite late)! Already a week into 2009, are you still keeping your new year’s resolutions? New Year’s Resolutions are almost always made in good faith. However many, from experience, doubt their ability to keep them throughout the whole year even before the new year begins. I had this problem before and I want to share to you tips on how I, and other people, keep their new year’s resolutions.

Keeping your resolution is similar to making and following a goal (as mentioned in this previous article).

Keep it Real

The first step to keeping it, is to make sure it’s realistic and feasible. Why make a New Year’s Resolution you know you absolutely can’t keep? Why make too many resolutions? Start out with one, then make another one mid-year after you’ve achieved the first. Don’t be over ambitious but don’t aim too low either. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds in time for your high school reunion in early February, that’s a bit much and not to mention unhealthy, but that doesn’t mean that you’d have to lower it down to 2 pounds.

Details! Details!

Now that you have your resolution, make sure to list down the details. What do I aim to do? Why are you doing this? How are you going to do this? When are you going to start? When are you going to end? In our example, a question you’d also like to ask is How much am I going to lose? Detailing you reasons and how you’re going to go about your New Year’s Resolution makes it more concrete, real, and fully fleshed out.

Time Tables

With your resolution now coming into shape, it’s time to make a schedule. Schedules are important because, with them, the less prone you are to procrastinating and making up excuses. Also, these schedules help you keep track of your progress, which can further push you to achieve your resolution.

Put It On Paper

This is another way to make your resolution more concrete. Write down your resolution, all the details, and your schedule down. It also prevents you from lying to yourself or remembering things differently.

Tell Somebody

Now that you’ve finished fleshing out the skeleton of your resolution and giving it a path, tell somebody. In fact tell more than one person. Close friends and family can help you keep and remind you of your resolution. By keeping your resolutions to yourself, your family and friends might unwittingly throw huge obstacles and temptations in your path.

Get Back On Your Feet

In the span of a year, failing and straying from your resolution is almost inevitable. Don’t put yourself down because of it, and don’t give up. In fact, don’t put off continuing it. I have friends who, after they break their resolution, say, “I’ll start again tomorrow/next week”. This is bad practice, once you stray, try to get back on the path right away.

Reward Yourself

Give yourself a prize for achieving a step in your resolution. Like for our example above, once you’ve lost 10 of the 30 pounds you want to lose, treat yourself to a new dress or buy something you’ve wanted. Don’t forget to treat yourself to something big when you actually reach your final goal.

Only a few people (around 20%) are able to keep their New Year’s Resolutions, I hope these suggestions will help you become one of those people this 2009! Remember, don’t give up and reap the benefits of your resolution struggle! Have a Happy New Year everyone!

Toodles,
Amy