We have all heard the saying “New Year, New Me” when it comes to bringing in a new year. While this is a great time to make changes that you believe will be beneficial to your life going forward, there are a lot of times when sticking to your resolutions becomes harder than expected. The sky is the limit when it comes to these resolutions but making them realistic gives you the greatest chance of sticking to them. Below are some tips to help you stick to your New Year Resolution.

Start Small- If you have a resolution to exercise more in the New Year, it can be hard to go from 0-100. Help yourself by starting small and working up to your expected goal as you move along. This will increase your chances of sticking to the goal and creating a routine/habit.

Change One Behavior at a Time- If you have more than one resolution, focus on one at a time. Unhealthy behaviors develop over the course of time so replacing them will take times as well.

Make It Personal- While you are making your goals for the year, think of why it is important to you. By determining your inner motivation, and writing your goals down, you will be personally inspired to stick to it and keep progressing.

Focus on Progress, Not Perfection- Perfection is unattainable so making small steps towards your goals are normal and okay. Don’t let the image of perfection stop you from seeing all the progress you are making day in and day out.

Accountability- Share your goals with others and ask them to hold you accountable. Think of this as the ‘buddy system’. People who tell others about their goals are more likely to accomplish them because they’re afraid of failing in front of other people. Use this as motivation!