Get your new year resolutions right

As the year draws to a close, we may feel more aware or confused, more focused or distracted, more poised or ruffled, more driven or dejected, more ambitious or discontent — all of this is normal, so relax and take a deep breath.

Whatever our mood, we're preoccupied with creating a list of new year's resolutions and figuring out how to keep them this time. So, why is it so difficult to abide by our resolutions, despite our best intentions?

We choose unrealistic plans, and once we fail to execute them, we feel disappointed and doubt ourselves.

A resolution is what you want to do, not what you should do. People either set challenging goals that quickly become unattainable, or they set relatively easy goals that quickly become boring.

Consider these points before setting your 2022 resolutions and plan accordingly.

Setting reasonable resolutions

It's critical to go over your resolutions and see if they're attainable. Are they measurable? Is there a time constraint? Are they unique in any way? Are they in line with your objectives? Is it possible to divide them into smaller pieces? Is it possible to complete them within the time frame you've established? Keep in mind that you must change your behaviour to bring a resolution, so make sure your goals are reasonable.

Planning

Successful implementation requires excellent planning. It is more realistic to plan the action steps around the resolution, divide them into smaller chunks, and schedule them on the calendar. Weekly objectives and bite-sized plans create a sense of accomplishment rather than "Oh, I have an entire year to myself; I can always re-start next month when I have more time."

Also read | Places you can celebrate your New year Eve in Delhi!

Planning also ensures that all necessary adjustments and an understanding of potential challenges are sketched out ahead of time. This will increase your chances of success, particularly when it comes to long-term objectives.

Take time to reflect

Spend some time reflecting on the previous year before making your New Year's Resolution. Consider what you learned, what you accomplished, any mistakes you made, and how you want to grow in the coming year. Thinking and collecting your past mistakes can be a better plan than hopping onto new plans. Always learn from your past mistakes so that you won't repeat them. Try to learn from them and prioritise them as your New Year resolutions.

Think about what brings you joy

If your resolution doesn't thrill you, there's a fair chance you won't make it a priority. Plus, there is no law that your resolution focuses on self-improvement. This year, think about what encourages you and bring more of that into your life. Stop thinking about depressing things or negativity. Life is too short to think about bad things. Live, laugh and love.

Eliminate self-doubt

Don't let your failures in the past dictate your future. It's time to get to work after you've learned from your mistakes. Every small victory should be celebrated because it inspires you to work harder for bigger ones. Being self-critical or doubtful is counterproductive because it directs all of your attention and energy to "why I can't do this?".

As you progress, remember to be grateful, compassionate, and loving to yourself, and don't let a minor setback or disappointment turn into a permanent failure. Remember to value progress over perfection. If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish this with proper planning, execution, seeking help and learning.

Take a balanced approach to health goals

Taking a balanced diet is not as easy as it seems, New Year's is a popular time to make health-related resolutions, particularly weight loss and healthy lifestyle changes. If you find yourself setting the same goal at the start of each year and then losing steam by February, see 2022 as an opportunity to shake things up. Aside from physical health, there are many other aspects of health to consider. Consider improving your mental, emotional, or spiritual health. Mental health will be an essential goal in 2022, as the past few years have been challenging for many of us.