New year, new you?

By Bernard Freeman

Making New Year’s resolutions is a popular Jan. 1 tradition, often spurred on by the extended holiday season that has many Americans eating, drinking and spending more than they usually do.

Here are some fast facts about New Year’s resolutions:

• Almost half of all Americans made a New Year’s resolution in 2018, according to the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. However, only about a fifth of those reported feeling they achieved that resolution.
• Most popular were “be a better person” and “lose weight.” Tied for second were exercising more, eating healthier and getting a better job, according to Live Science.
• A 2009 article in Psychology Today said 22 percent of respondents in a survey fail in sticking to their resolutions in the first week. By one month, 40 percent have given up, and by the time April rolls around, half of people who made resolutions have stopped.
• In 2017, Twitter looked at New Year’s resolution-related tweets to determine the most popular resolutions. They were: diet, exercise or weight loss; read more; learn something new; save money; be nicer; get a new job; give more to charity; drink less alcohol; get more sleep; and make new friends.
• In the New Year’s battle of the sexes, women win. According to a study from the nonprofit Stroke Association, 20 percent of women achieved their resolutions in 2017, compared to 16 percent of men, although men were more likely to achieve fitness-related goals like running or eating healthier.

How to Make a Good Resolution

Most people who set New Year’s resolutions don’t reach their goals.

Many people give up on their resolutions because the goals they set are either unrealistic or vague, or they set too many to be able to focus on one.

Losing 20 pounds in a month is unhealthy, going from no exercise to exercising for three days every week, or immediately sticking to a budget perfectly aren’t the goals that will get you in shape or out of debt.

Before creating a plan and telling people, though, the most important step is picking a goal that you really want to accomplish and that you are ready to make. Otherwise, you may set yourself up for failure.

Pick one thing and set smaller goals along the way

If your goal is to lose 50 pounds in a year, set a goal to lose a pound or two a week. From there, make small changes to your diet and exercise routines. Changes that you know you can do. Make those steps doable, and celebrate your accomplishments, however small they may seem.

Don’t worry about slipping up

If you’ve gone all week without a cigarette and then light up after a stressful day at work, don’t give up on your resolution. It takes time to learn to break the habit of smoking, binge-eating, or staying up too late, just as it takes time to create a habit of eating lots of fruits and vegetables, exercising every day or studying for a class.

Enlist other people

Find a workout buddy, somebody else who wants to have an early morning walk instead of an early morning smoke, an online group with whom you can exchange healthy recipes, a friend who also wants to save money or someone else who can go on the journey with you and encourage you, both when you’re doing well and when you slip up.

Even if you don’t have someone making the same resolution, let the people around you know about your goals so they can help hold you accountable, give you feedback and congratulate you.

Easy Resolutions

Tired of making resolutions that you’re never able to keep? Next time around, pick a few easy goals that only take a few minutes a day and are easy to work into your routine and may be fun to do.

Here are some suggestions.

• Meditate for a few minutes. Five to 20 minutes a day of meditation – sit quietly, breathe deeply, get rid of distractions, allow yourself to stop worrying about tasks. If you have an office at work, shut your door and take a mid-afternoon break. You don’t have to empty your mind, just allow yourself a few minutes of calm.
• Floss daily. According to USA Today, flossing every day is a 90-second task that can help reduce gum disease and tooth loss, which can make your semiannual visit to the dentist a much less painful or stressful experience. Keep your floss next to your toothbrush as an easy reminder.
• Go to bed earlier. An extra 15-30 minutes a night can help your immune system, memory, mood and so much more. Schedule your bedtime, and stick as close as possible to it.
• Schedule all your doctor’s appointments for the year. Good Housekeeping suggests setting up appointments for screenings, eye appointments, dental cleanings and anything else you know is coming up. You can schedule appointments for kids and pets too while you’re at it. Put the appointments in your calendar online and don’t worry about it.
• Get a houseplant. Indoor plants can lower stress levels, and caring for a plant helps calm the nervous system and lowers blood pressure. Find a plant that fits your lifestyle; there are plenty that don’t need a lot of water.
• Turn your phone off. Take a few minutes of quiet time, check out from social media and otherwise focus fully on the task at hand, your book, the person you’re spending time with or just enjoying the silence.