‘New Year, New Me’ is a phrase that we’re about to be inundated with when January rolls around. The majority of us will set out to aspiring to improve ourselves in the year ahead. But, while we all enter January with the best intentions, often, things end up going wrong. For a lot of people, the customary New Year’s resolutions end up being nothing but a let down, but why is that?
We sat down to catch up with Top Life Coach Carole Ann Rice who shared the 5 reasons our New Year’s resolutions often go wrong.
1. You aim too high
It’s good to have lofty aspirations, but it’s important to not aim unrealistically high. January is the toughest month of the year and it can be hard to get up and get out of bed, let alone change our lives. In light of this, it’s important to set realistic goals and think about what can actually be achieved.
2. You are not prepared
Often, our New Year’s resolutions focus on exercise and diet, but these goals require preparation and equipment. If you are planning to embark on a new fitness regime, make sure you have the right kit to get going as soon as possible. Similarly, clear your cupboards of junk food and stock up on healthy alternatives. If you don’t prepare, you’re setting yourself up for failure. No lie.
3. You lose motivation
While your resolutions may seem like a good idea, if the goal is too difficult to achieve, it can leave you feeling unmotivated and uninterested in your initial target pretty quickly. In order to succeed in your aspirations, set an interim goal and decide what you want to achieve in the first month or so. That way, you will have smaller goals that are easier to accomplish.
4. You are not patient
Patience is key when it comes to achieving a goal. We all want overnight success, but that is never going to be the case. Aspirations related to exercise and diet will take a while to come into fruition, so be patient and don’t lose sight of your goals. Don’t expect overnight results, otherwise you will end up failing.
5. Don’t be too extreme
While it can be tempting to try and quit alcohol, chocolate, or whatever other vices you may have, it will more than likely end up in failure if you make too extreme promises to yourself. Instead of going completely cold turkey, try and moderate your consumption of these items. If you completely strip yourself of these things, your body will fight against you and this will lead to you caving in and consuming in excess.
