We have gone on record as being skeptical about New Year’s resolutions. A New Year’s resolution can put a lot of pressure on you to hit a goal and make you feel worse when you slip. That can derail a health plan instead of having that small slip be a blip along your route.
To take the pressure off your New Year’s resolution, start it this month. If you are a person who thrives on a mission statement, replace New Year’s Eve and Day with Halloween and All Saints’ Day. It’s a wonderful way of keeping the ritualistic nature of a New Year’s resolution while removing the pressure of a traditional New Year’s resolution.
You can start a New Year’s resolution any time you like. No one has to know. The social pressure that usually goes hand-in-hand with a resolution is gone. But, we’re still at a transitional point in the year that will lend it some symbolism to help cement the change into your brain and help you gain momentum.
If you start on Halloween, you will have a healthy momentum that gets you through the holidays by the time Thanksgiving comes. Whether your goal is about exercise, diet or lifestyle, it’s easier to stick to a healthy plan when it’s a habit. If you start now, when the holidays come, it will be easier to get through them without throwing off your schedule or balance. There will be less stress as you will have already ironed out the problems with your plan and be able to enjoy the holidays with fewer worries.
If you set realistic goals, you can hit your goals by January 1. Instead of having a vague plan of “I want to lose weight,” The more concrete plan of “I want to workout three times a week” is achievable. If you start now, you will have sorted out your schedule, worked up your endurance and gotten through the settling-in period. Come January 1, you will just be someone who works out three times a week.
Tracking your progress can be a great way to stay on track. People can slip up and feel like throwing in the towel. However, when you have an account of your victories and progress, a mistake can be recovered from much more quickly.
So, if you like the idea of a New Year’s resolution but have struggled to stick with it, start one now. Taking the pressure off January can be just the ticket to long-term success!
