It’s always amazing how quickly February flies away! Tomorrow is March already.
Statistically speaking, everyone has given up on their New Year’s resolution. The second Friday of January is nicknamed “Quitter’s Day” as it’s the most common day for people to give up on their resolution. Only nine percent of people make it to the end of the year. But that doesn’t mean we can’t start again!
Instead of making a lofty year-long commitment to a resolution, make a promise to yourself for a month. You can say, “For/In the next 31 days, I will,” and then complete the statement.
A new month’s resolution takes the pressure off your year and makes your goal small and achievable. You also have the chance to achieve your goal every month and a built-in reset if things don’t work out! It’s okay if you slip up a little in March; April will be here shockingly soon. But if you start with a step goal, a meal plan goal, a reading goal, a social goal, or any other small change you want to make, you can start working toward it!
When you have a New Year’s resolution, it can feel like you are racing to the finish line. By making it a monthly goal, it becomes more like a banal to-do list that is much more achievable.
The monthly reset also allows you to reflect if things go wrong. One person who practices monthly resolutions wanted to move for 30 minutes every morning before going to work. It didn’t happen. When she thought about it the next month, she realized the problem was she was tired every morning, so instead, she worked on getting a better sleep schedule for that month’s goal.
A new month’s resolution also takes the fear out of trying something. New Year’s resolutions can feel daunting, especially if you are trying to give up something. But not doing something for a month isn’t quite as scary. On the other hand, committing to trying something for a month doesn’t seem as draining. Come April, you might want to renew your monthly resolution and stick with it for another 30 days!
When any task in life is broken down into bite-sized pieces, it’s easier to achieve. Things that seem insurmountable can become easy when you take it one step at a time. Making a monthly resolution instead of a yearly one may make it much more achievable!
