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It’s a new year, a time some people use to reflect on the past year and plan some changes they want to make in the coming year.
But for all the benefits of embarking on positive change, making New Year’s resolutions can be a recipe for disappointment if not done properly, experts say.
Most resolutions will be abandoned before Feb. 1 rolls around, clinical psychologist Jayme Albin says on her website, The Cognitive Behavior Therapist (http://askthecognitivebehaviortherapist.com/2012/01/02/tips-to-set-new-years-resolutions-that-keep-you-motivated/). It begs the question of whether we should bother making resolutions at all.
Albin sees nothing wrong with making resolutions, noting, “if done correctly, reflecting on the past and setting intentions for the future does hold a lot of psychological value and research supports that it CAN help us feel more satisfied and motivated.”
Focusing on accomplishments from the previous year, even the small ones, instead of the dreams that weren’t achieved is one way Albin suggests to help lay the groundwork for a positive outlook toward the coming year. She also advises knowing your limits, setting monthly goals, tracking your progress regularly (daily, if possible), enlisting the help of others, and rewarding yourself regularly for your successes.
Another website, Psych Central (http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/12/27/9-tips-for-setting-authentic-new-years-resolutions/), lists among its nine tips for keeping resolutions: “Determine why you’re choosing your goal” and “Avoid rigid, restrictive goals.”
In the final outcome, of course, successful change always depends upon how badly we want it. But if we’re sincere in wanting to make positive changes and we follow a workable blueprint, we can be successful. Accomplishing even small goals will likely provide a good boost for our self-esteem, and who among us can’t benefit from an additional emotional lift like that?
By enjoying even our minor successes and building on them, we can make 2012 a good year.
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