Ten steps to sticking to your new year’s resolutions

Keep your list of resolutions manageable

WANT to finally keep your new year’s resolutions this year? Setting goals can be a lot easier than reaching them, so we’ve compiled ten steps to help you stay the course.

1. Make your resolutions something you truly want

It’s easy to make resolutions for things that you should care about,or to go along with what everybody else is doing. But you won’t make any real progress unless your resolutions are something you’re truly passionate about. Make a list of what’s meaningful to you and the changes that you need to make to move toward them.

2. Keep your list of resolutions manageable

There are only so many goals you can actively pursue at once. If you have 12different resolutions on your list, the likelihood of sticking to any of them is slim.It’s best to pare your list down to three or fewer resolutions, so you can find the space in your schedule to progress toward your goals.

3. Get specific with your goals

It’s not enough to say you want to exercise more, or that you want to travel to new places. Instead, pledge something specific, like hitting the gym Mondays and Wednesdays at 6 AM, or saving enough for a trip to France by August. The more concrete your goal is, the better chance you have of achieving it.

4. Be realistic

You should certainly step outside of your comfort zone with your resolutions, but don’t make them so unattainable that you don’t have a chance of reaching them within the year. You also don’t want to set goals for things that are out of your control.For instance, rather than making a goal to“become a best-selling author before this summer,” you could set a goal of “completing the first draft of a novel by Thanksgiving.”

5. Make a solid plan

Now that you have realistic goals in mind for the new year, it’s time to create a plan for reaching them. Think about the what you can do to make them a reality. Make sure you write everything down because seeing your goals in print will hold you more accountable.

6. Take baby steps

Once you’ve recorded your resolutions, break them down into actionable steps you can take to progress toward your goals. Make these baby steps something you can easily accomplish so that you don’t get overwhelmed along the way.

7. Focus on the process rather than the outcome

If you obsess over the result, you won’t be able to enjoy each step of your journey. Know that you’ll get where you want to goif you commit to your baby steps and focus on the process.

8. Don’t get easily discouraged

Change isn’t always easy, and progress isn’t always linear. There may be setbacks, or starts and stops. The important thing is to persevere and avoid getting discouraged or giving up when you hit bumps along the way.

9. Celebrate your victories

When you hit a milestone or complete an important step, be sure to celebrate!Rewarding yourself along the way will help keep you excited and motivated.

10. Learn from your mistakes

If you take a misstep, have a setback, or make a mistake along the way, don’t beat yourself up. Learn from your mistakes and move forward without looking back.

If you follow these steps, you’ll be well on your way to accomplishing anything you put your mind to. What are your new year’s resolutions for this year? Share them with us in the Facebook comments. www.westernunion.com