{"id":934,"date":"2016-01-21T19:11:12","date_gmt":"2016-01-21T19:11:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.keen.com\/newarticles\/uncategorized\/how-to-make-a-fail-proof-new-years-resolution"},"modified":"2021-05-24T20:08:43","modified_gmt":"2021-05-24T20:08:43","slug":"how-to-make-a-fail-proof-new-years-resolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.keen.com\/articles\/psychic\/how-to-make-a-fail-proof-new-years-resolution","title":{"rendered":"How to Make a Fail-Proof New Year\u2019s Resolution"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

\"Successful<\/a><\/p>\n

This New Year\u2019s, are you committed to getting fit? How about finding love<\/a>, becoming an ace piano player, dunking more basketballs, saving more money, or quitting smoking? Resolutions are theoretically a great way to challenge yourself and take control of your life\u2014but in practice, most people are over their vows by February. The cultural phenomenon of failed resolutions has even come under the scrutiny of clinical psychologists<\/a>, who suggest that the newly minted gym rats of January 1st get discouraged by unrealistic goals and disappointed when overblown expectations don\u2019t pan out. In the wake of so many abandoned resolutions, what can you do to make this year\u2019s ironclad?<\/p>\n

Reality-Checking Your Resolution<\/strong><\/p>\n

In our culture, it\u2019s typically more desirable to reinvent yourself than to accept yourself\u2014have you ever noticed that there are no reality shows about overweight people deciding they\u2019re comfortable with their size? The interminable drive for self-improvement is almost as American as the Twinkie. But perhaps a byproduct of championing the self-made man and woman is the elevation of the New Year\u2019s resolution to mythic proportions. In the promised land just beyond December 31st, a new, happier and more fulfilling life awaits us, if we\u2019re willing to put in the effort. Right?<\/p>\n

Well, sort of. Choosing fewer frappuccinos is certainly an improvement on your dietary and financial fronts, but you\u2019re still<\/em> going to be bad at public speaking and regretful of that mean thing you said to your mom and afraid of being single indefinitely. It isn\u2019t to say that resolutions have no value. Just that you\u2019re still going to be you, only with fewer frappuccinos. So If you\u2019re banking on this year being the one in which you finally \u201cembrace life\u201d and discover true love\u2014contingent on hitting the gym twice weekly\u2014you\u2019re setting yourself up for some major disappointment. Those kinds of character changes come from serious introspection and hard inner work, not a few lifestyle tweaks determined at 11:55 on December 31st.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s okay to want to change something about yourself. It\u2019s great to break old, draining habits. When we secretly burden our resolutions with high hopes for a totally transformed life, though, we\u2019re easily disillusioned when the dream doesn\u2019t pan out. If you want to learn to play guitar for its own sake, that\u2019s a resolution that\u2019ll hold up to resistance. If you only want to learn to attract members of the opposite gender, your commitment might fade if the end goal (a relationship and a tour bus) doesn\u2019t materialize rather soon. So this year, maximize the staying power of your resolutions by choosing targets that are rewarding for their own sake and keeping your expectations clear.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Crafting a Manageable Resolution<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, what is it that you want to add to your life? Do you want to be spritely enough to go bouldering with your friends? Do you think you\u2019d feel more energized if you cut back on sugar? Has your doctor been breathing down your neck about smoking? When you\u2019ve found a cause to commit to, don\u2019t embark on the journey without a roadmap! Expert goal-setters<\/a> (yes, this is a real job) suggest a few parameters for outlining an attainable target.<\/p>\n

1. Is your resolution specific?<\/strong> If you want to be nicer or a better girlfriend in the new year, that\u2019s admirable, but paralyzingly vague. Put some numbers on your goal: you\u2019ll volunteer once a month, lose ten pounds, watch no more than one hour of television a day, and so on.\u00a0<\/p>\n

2. Good resolutions are measurable.<\/strong> When you can see your progress accumulating, you\u2019re less likely to give up. So if you want to become a writer, try committing to a daily word count. If you want to eat better, get out your measuring cups and count how many veggies are in your diet. If you want to be more focused, choose to meditate for fifteen minutes a day.<\/p>\n

3. Even the most noble goal will fail if it isn\u2019t attainable.<\/strong> Does your resolution fit in a one-year time frame? If you\u2019re a seven-year-old dreaming of becoming president, or a desk job holder with eyes on the International Space Station, you might need to budget some more time and resources to your plan. Those are more like longterm goals than a New Year\u2019s resolution.\u00a0<\/p>\n

4. Ask yourself honestly: is your resolution realistic?<\/strong> Even if it\u2019s physically feasible, is it something you really see yourself loving? If you can\u2019t stand peppy personal trainers, or don\u2019t have time in your work schedule to make the drive, maybe going to the gym each weeknight isn\u2019t realistic for you. Explore what alternatives, (home workouts? ballet class?) can realistically fit your lifestyle and personality.<\/p>\n

5. Lastly, your resolution should be tangible.<\/strong> Being happier, prettier, or more famous doesn\u2019t make the cut, but starting therapy, experimenting with new outfits, and going to more social events would all work. If your resolution doesn\u2019t represent a concrete lifestyle choice you can make, it\u2019s going to be hard to enact.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Although most New Year\u2019s resolutions won\u2019t give you a totally new life by February, when they\u2019re well-planned, they can be fun, enlightening, and fulfilling. So rather than banking on a total reinvention, try to see your resolution as a small but totally worthwhile step in your life\u2019s path. Most of the big dreams, like being an astronaut or having a better relationship, are the end result of thousands of tiny achievements\u2014every writer had to fill their first page, and every old married couple had a first date.This year, whatever you commit to, whether it\u2019s a trivial or herculean labor, trust that even your smallest efforts count.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The New Year is a time of reflection and growth. Advisors at KEEN.com<\/a> can you help you see and reach your highest potential with spiritual guidance, personalized readings, and more.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This New Year\u2019s, are you committed to getting fit? How about finding love, becoming an ace piano player, dunking more basketballs, saving more money, or quitting smoking? Resolutions are theoretically a great way to challenge yourself and take control of your life\u2014but in practice, most people are over their vows by February. The cultural phenomenon …<\/p>\n

How to Make a Fail-Proof New Year\u2019s Resolution<\/span> Read More \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":979,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[250,441,464],"class_list":["post-934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-psychic","tag-holidays","tag-psychic-readings","tag-resolutions"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Make a Fail-Proof New Year\u2019s Resolution - Keen Articles<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This New Year's, set a resolution that you can keep. 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