With just a couple of day’s left before we enter a new year many of us will be thinking of how we can improve the way we live our lives in 2024. While some of us might have resolved to shed a few kilos by going on a diet or going to the gym, others might be planning to quit smoking or have decided that in the new year they will keep their home tidy or be more patient with and/or tolerant towards others.
But how can we ensure that our New Year’s resolutions become more than just good intentions that we cast aside after a couple of days? VRT News asked the social psychologist Roos Vonk for a few tips
Be specific
People tend to make very general resolutions such as “I am going to eat more healthily”, “I’m going to get more exercise” or “I’m going to lose weight”, but they don’t reflect on how they are going to do this. Don’t just think about the goal, but also think about how you intend to achieve it.
Roos Vonk says that some resolutions are easier to stick to than others. For example, losing weight is a very difficult goal to realise. “You have to think about a stable eating patten that you can stick too for the rest of your life.
It is better to resolve to eat more vegetables each day rather than to impose a rigid target weight on yourself. Or simply choose to eat chocolate only at the weekend. This is a more attainable aim.
Make a plan…
The most important thing is to make a concrete plan. What are you going to do? When, Where? And with whom?
For example, if you decided to go for a run more often decide where are you are going to run, check that you have suitable shoes and decide what you will do if it rains.
Plan B
You want to shed a few kilos? Then you should also think about what you will do if temptation comes your way. What are you going to do at difficult moments like a birthday or during a busy working day?
“It’s not nice to think about this, but it will help you to stick to your resolution”.
Speak to your inner child
Roos Vonk went on to say “You need to take into account that every one of us has an inner child lurking inside them that doesn’t want to play ball. The inner child wants immediate gratification and only thinks about the short term ‘I want cake and crisps and I want them now!’. The inner child doesn’t think ahead and comes up with all kinds of excuses. However, it is of course the adult within us that has made the resolution, and it needs to talk the inner child round”.
So don’t give in to your inner child but make the adult inside you stronger.
Motivation is not enough
Roos Vonk adds that motivation is not enough. “People often think that everything will go swimmingly because they are motivated. But this is a pitfall, because no matter how much you want something this is not a determining factor for your success. The preparations you have made are though.
Don’t wait until 1 January
Roos Vonk concludes by saying that “You don’t have to wait until 1 January to turn over a new leaf. You can do so at any time. 1 January is of course a good date to start because you feel less alone then. However, good preparation is more important”.