Keeping New Year’s resolutions

MOST PEOPLE make a New Year’s resolution, but how many stick to it?

Traditionally, on 1st January, many make themselves promises to change or improve something in their lives, so why is it that approximately 80% fail?During the Christmas holidays many abandon most, if not all, restraint and indulge excessively in things that they spend most of the year avoiding, and then promise themselves that the New Year will be a new beginning.This can be anything from joining a gym, taking up yoga, buying diet books or planning to look leaner on the next beach holiday.However, normally, by mid-February,the resolutions are broken and there is an extreme feeling of remorse and disappointment in the failure.Experts suggest that the best way to keep a resolution is not to aim too high too fast and for people to set themselves reasonable and achievable goals.Simple guidance is to think small. For example "when I finish this meal, I'm going to wash my dish." Make a contract with yourself that that dish must be washed. No ifs, ands or buts! Throughout the day, find simple challenges that you can make happen.The theory is that once you get used to making smaller things happen it is easier to tackle other slightly bigger personal challenges.It is no good making a pledge to yourself if you're not sure you'll stick with it, for example going to the gym five times a week, when you already don’t believe you can, soset a more realistic target. Better to do the best you can than to fall short and feel disappointed in yourself.Finally, after New Year’s Day, you need to be kind to yourself. Behaviour change is hard and there are days when all may not go so well, but this is not failure, merely an opportunity to learn what works and what doesn’t.