What were your New Year's resolutions for 2021? Do you still remember them, and did you implement them? No? Then we have compiled the best tips & tricks for you, so that 2022 will finally be the year you achieve your New Year's resolutions.
New Year, New Luck – why we make New Year's resolutions
On New Year's Eve, many people not only toast to the coming year but also to freshly made New Year's resolutions. The next year is supposed to be different, better, and more fulfilling than the last. Among the most popular New Year's resolutions in 2021 were:
- Avoid or reduce stress
- More time for family or friends
- Be more environmentally/climate-friendly
- Exercise more or do sports
- Eat healthier
- More time for oneself
But why do so many people decide to change something?
The turn of the year symbolizes a new beginning, a change, and a fresh start. It seems like the perfect time to shed old and disliked habits or to tackle dreams that have long been postponed.
New Year's Resolutions: Doomed to Fail?
Making New Year's resolutions is a ritual that belongs to New Year's Eve like fireworks and champagne. Who hasn't been asked at a New Year's Eve party: "And what are your good resolutions for the new year?"
However, this question often comes with a wink. A peculiarity of New Year's resolutions is that they are not entirely serious or are made half-heartedly. Almost 40% of people in Germany manage to stick to their good resolutions for only 4 weeks. Only slightly more than a quarter keep them for longer than 2 months. Why is that?
One reason for this is precisely this attitude. Achieving a goal is always also a question of attitude. If we believe from the beginning that we won't succeed in implementing our resolutions, we are more likely to fail. Just like a self-fulfilling prophecy. In addition, New Year's resolutions are usually:
- Too many: Too much is taken on at once.
- Too vaguely formulated: A good example is the vague intention to "avoid stress."
- Too non-binding: We often talk about our resolutions but don't write them down.
Lastly, the contemplative Christmas season offers space for reflection. Strength and energy are gathered to start the new year motivated. An optimal time to consider new resolutions and ambitious goals. However, it is not uncommon for the hustle and bustle of everyday life to catch up with us already in mid-January, making it more difficult to implement adopted New Year's resolutions.
Well-intentioned is not well-done: When is a resolution truly good?
Eating healthier, spending more time with family, exercising, and living more mindfully. These are all noble goals. But they are only truly good if they suit you. Your motivation is important here. It should ideally come from within yourself. Because deciding to eat healthier simply because it's better is usually not crowned with success. Instead, goals that personally inspire you and in which you see a concrete advantage for yourself are more promising.
In the case of healthier eating, this could be, for example, more fitness, fewer digestive problems, or a better quality of life. We also too often aim for unrealistic things: like suddenly becoming super athletic if you're actually a couch potato. Or becoming Buddha in person if you quickly get stressed. Such resolutions do not sufficiently consider your own abilities and characteristics. Therefore, they can quickly lead to frustration. The alpha and omega for good New Year's resolutions is that they suit you and your individual life situation.
7 tips on how to implement your New Year's resolutions
So what can you do to implement your New Year's resolutions in 2022? Here are 7 tips and tricks on how to succeed in making positive changes in the new year:
Tip 1: Less is more
Don't take on too much, because seeing a huge mountain in front of you can quickly overwhelm and demotivate. Setting interim goals is helpful.
Tip 2: Name correctly
Formulate a concrete goal or resolution. According to psychological research, "if-then plans" are a promising method here. For the New Year's resolution to behave in a more climate-friendly way, such a plan could be: "If I travel short distances, then I will walk or cycle instead of taking the car."
Tip 3: It has to be fun
Express your resolutions positively. This increases the desire to implement them.
Tip 4: The mix makes it
Set both quickly achievable and longer-term goals. Contacting an old friend might require overcoming some hesitation, but it's relatively quick. Digital detox or healthy eating, on the other hand, are processes and require endurance. Previous successes will help you here.
Tip 5: The goal in sight
Write down your good New Year's resolutions and hang them up prominently. Ideally in a place where your reminder notes catch your eye daily. Like on the refrigerator or next to the bathroom mirror. This way, you won't forget them.
Tip 6: Together we are stronger than alone
Share your New Year's resolutions, for example, with a friend or your partner who has similar resolutions. This way, you can help and motivate each other to stay on track.
Tip 7: Celebrate successes
Keep your success in mind. When you implement a resolution, celebrate each of your interim goals. To visualize them, you can, for example, keep a list of the aspects of your resolutions that you have already achieved. Then you can reward yourself for each successful step. This increases motivation to tackle the next stage.
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We at CLAV wish you a good coming year. As usual, we will support you in 2022 in achieving your personal goals with our vegan products.
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All our articles are written by nutritionists and reviewed by experts for content quality.
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