“New Year, New Me” seems to be a motto of the past. With each passing year, I find less and less of the people I know are setting New Year’s resolutions, because they know they don’t last. Yet, there’s something within us that wants an excuse to better ourselves. And since every day is technically the start of a new year, today I share some strategies for creating change that sticks.
First off, I propose changing from the term “resolution” to literally anything else. “Resolution” has a connotation of being steadfast and unwavering. The moment you stray from a resolution, you can feel like a failure because you broke this resolute promise to yourself. It makes it feel like you either must do all of the goal or none of the goal, that there’s no in between. So, by shifting to a term that allows for space in between “all or nothing”, it automatically makes it more achievable.
In yoga, there are a few terms that are relevant when turning over a new leaf. The term sankalpa, refers to an intention or purpose that comes straight from the heart, often contemplated during or after meditation. Another term is mantra, which is a positive word or phrase repeated during meditation, and aids in focusing the mind. Both sankalpas and mantras can be refreshed whenever you feel the need to redirect your purpose or intention. Life is dynamic and fluid, so it makes sense to continually reflect on where you’re at and where you want to go. Outside of yoga, I suggest the terms goal, intention, and habit. Each of these conveys direction or frequency, without being unwavering.
There are a few other techniques I’ve seen around for starting out the New Year. One is to create a list of “ins and outs”. With this technique, you’re not limited to one way you’re going to improve yourself; you can think of multiple ways. Opening your mind up to what to have more of and less of in your life can allow you to branch out beyond just fitness goals, but to think of relationships, habits in the workplace or home, and new hobbies or adventures! Another idea is to think of a word you want to live by, which you can apply throughout your life. Some ideas for a word might be truth, mindfulness, confidence, explore, balance, etc.
Regardless of what you call an intention you set, here are a few ways of helping it stick. First, give yourself permission to not be perfect. You might even build into your goal room for enjoying a variety in your life including both the change, and also enjoying your old ways. Second, think about how you can make change that will keep your interest. For example, if you want to get more physical activity, don’t limit yourself to one type that you’ll do every day of the week. Try something new, change it up throughout the week, invite a friend, or find a community like The Hive Collective, which will help you stay motivated and excited! Lastly, don’t try to do it all at once. Choose one or two habits to focus on, and set your goal small allowing room to adapt it as needed.
Remember, every day is the start of a new year, so it’s never too late to set an intention and see where it takes you!
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