After all the stress of the Holidays, we deserve a break.
Yet even as the calendar gets ready to turn over to a new digit, so many of us do something that will... almost by design... provide us with yet another reason to be stressed:
It's called a New Years Resolution.
No doubt, there are a lot of positive things we can try to do to improve ourselves. Stop a bad habit, get more exercise, be kinder and more generous...the list goes on. But as a large-scale study of New Years Resolvers shows, keeping those resolutions is hard.
"One week into the new year, 77% of participants had maintained their resolutions; the number decreased to 55% after one month, 43% after three months, 40% after six months, and 19% at the two-year follow-up."
But as it turns out, there are simple ways to increase the odds of keeping all those promises we make to ourselves.
- Start Small - It's tempting to 'go big' with our resolutions. But in reality, having a goal that's attainable...even easy to reach...can be a positive feedback loop that helps you reach your big goals over time. Which, as it happens, is the next tip.
- Reward Yourself - Whenever you achieve something, no matter how small, give yourself a little pat on the back. Don't go against the resolution you made, but go ahead and treat yourself to something you enjoy.
- Track Your Progress - A journal, a checklist, a mark on a calendar. Whatever you can do to remind yourself of your mission is a good thing and helps keep you motivated.
- Tell A Friend - Having friends and family who know about your goals and can support you on your journey is one of the best ways to help you stay on track.
BONUS RESOLUTION: Improve Your Mindset!
If you really want to keep your resolutions, one of the most important things you can do is to work on your mindset. It may sound overly simplistic, but by taking time each day to focus on having a positive mindset can actually...and literally...make you feel more positive.
In many ways, mental fitness is virtually the same as physical fitness. (Take a peek at this blog post by Max Newlon, President of FocusCalm to see how). The more you exercise it in positive ways, the more your mind works in positive ways.
And when it comes to keeping New Years Resolutions, a positive mindset can make all the difference.
Of course, FocusCalm is a great tool to help you create and maintain a mental mindset training routine.
The great thing about FocusCalm is that you don't need to be a Yogi Master or even know how to meditate to use it. With its 'Learn, Practice, Challenge' methodology, you can easily start your journey to better focus and a calmer mind using simple games and breathing exercises in just a few minutes a day.
