Are You Ready for a New Year’s Revolution?
Happy New Year to You!
Did you know that half of us decide to change something significant at the beginning of the year? While New Year’s Resolutions sound like a good idea, sadly, only 8% succeed. Enthusiasm quickly fades and we easily return to habits we vowed to resolve. Often we even reuse last year’s unsuccessful resolutions hoping that somehow, this time, it will be different.
This year, I’d like to invite you to join me, and use a different approach. Not with a New Year’s Resolution, but with a REVOLUTION! There are scientifically proven reasons why resolutions FAIL, and thoroughly tested ways in which you CAN make significant positive changes in your life. Are you ready for your personal revolution? Maybe you are just a little bit tempted to start pondering what you might like to improve in your life?
7 top reasons why almost ALL resolutions fail
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Vague Goals
Our minds are like computers, they need very specific instructions to operate effectively. Many resolutions are not specific enough for us to take the action. Goals like “get healthy” or “lose weight” are too general and they are difficult to plan for. When we make our goals specific it is much easier to put them into action.
For example “I will get healthy by going for a walk every day and taking at least 2 exercise classes a week” is much easier for the mind to grasp onto and take the steps needed to successfully reach the goal.
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Unrealistic Goals
When we set goals which are unrealistic it becomes overwhelming. Goals which are too big become ignored as the mind ‘hides’ from a challenge it cannot see the end of. Breaking bigger goals down into small manageable pieces, taking baby steps, is much more effective. Each baby step you take towards a goal can be rewarded, sometimes just with the satisfaction of knowing you have made progress.
For example, if you smoke, simply cutting down by 1 or 2 cigarettes a day will gradually, and gently, lead you to your goal. Planning each small step you need to take is much more manageable. Rewarding yourself along the way will also keep your motivation strong.
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Too Many Goals
If we overload our mind with too many changes at once it rebels! Changes take up mental energy and time. When you try and change too much at once the mind simply cannot cope and will rapidly revert to old habits. Choose one goal to focus on at a time. Often our goals overlap anyway.
For example if you choose to reduce your TV watching to give you more time in the evening, it might naturally lead into a future goal of finding the time to exercise.
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Not Enough Motivation
Motivation is the mental energy we use to do anything. Motivation is needed to: get up in the morning; go to work; take a walk…… Anything and everything we do requires motivation. For some tasks it is easy. The motivation to eat is driven by hunger. The motivation to go and see friends is driven by pleasure. Unfortunately for many people motivation is also driven by fear. When we are children, the fear of punishment is often used as a motivator and we continue in this paradigm into adulthood. Fear of punishment can create enough motivation for some tasks.
For example when there COULD be a punishment, like being late for work, but it is rarely enough to motivate us to do tasks which nourish ourselves.
Giving up smoking, losing weight or getting fit are all self-nourishing tasks which are high on many peoples list of New Year’s Resolutions. Finding the motivation to successfully achieve these goals requires you to find positive drivers, instead of fear based ones. Giving up smoking because you are afraid of cancer is not naturally motivating. When we use guilt or fear to try and stop doing something, the initial motivating energy quickly fades. Instead find something to do more of and the positive reasons why you want to do it.
For example a smoker might want to choose to “breathe more clean air” to: improve their lungs; smell better; save money; live a long and happy life.
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Not enough support
Taking steps to make changes in your life can be challenging and going it alone makes it harder. Studies have clearly shown that support is vital in making lasting changes. If your desire is to improve your fitness, hanging around with friends eating ice-cream won’t do you any favors. Having people around you that encourage you to improve yourself is massively beneficial. Sometimes our friends are not ready for the changes we wish to make, and they subconsciously hold us back, offering cigarettes, cakes, drinks or other ‘contraband’ you would rather avoid.
Getting the right support will hugely empower you to achieve your goals in life. Finding likeminded people with the same goal means you can make the journey together. Even sharing different goals with people who are also working positively on themselves will help maintain motivation. Talking through challenges and finding solutions with others often helps you see things in a new way, overcoming obstacles on your journey.
Professional assistance can provide advice to help you reach your goals quicker, finding the most efficient and suitable ways for you to move forward. Being compassionate to yourself includes accepting when you need help. While friends, family and colleagues can be a massive aid in your process, sometimes a seasoned specialist is needed to help you get going and keep you focused.
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Not enough will-power
Just like motivation will power is an energy we can draw upon to take action. Will-power is generated in the part of your brain called the prefrontal cortex, located behind your forehead. The prefrontal cortex also helps you stay focused, solve problems and is responsible for short term memory.
Will power is like a muscle, the more you use it the more you improve it, strengthen it. However, if you haven’t been using it much, don’t expect to suddenly to have a huge will-power muscle! It needs to be gradually improved and developed over time. Just like a baby learning to walk, small steps and gradual improvements build up. You wouldn’t expect a baby to be able to run the first day it learns to walk. Taking small steps and rewarding yourself for progress, not perfection, gradually builds up your will-power until it is strong enough for you to achieve your goal with ease.
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No new habits
Humans are habitual creatures. We perform the same actions without putting much conscious thought into it. Have you ever driven part of the way to work, only to realize you were meant to be driving somewhere else? Our minds operate using habits, doing the same positive or negative actions, over and over again. To make any change it is vital to make new habits.
For example: the habit of having a walk after lunch; the habit of having one less cigarette per day; the habit of carrying fruit in your bag to snack on.
Developing new habits can be very rapid and they quickly build up into new behaviors. New behaviors supported by your new habits will lead you to the successful completion of your goal. Finding lots of small habits to gradually work on and incorporate into your life is far more likely to bring about lasting positive change in your life, whatever your goal is.
So, now you know why 92% of resolutions fail!
Do you think these reasons apply to you? Does it make sense why your resolutions, for New Year or any other time have NOT been successful? I’d like you to let go of any guilt, shame or embarrassment about failed goals. You simply didn’t have the right tools to empower your desired change! But soon you will…….
What does work
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Be specific.
I invite you to reflect on the past year. Take a few moments to think about what went well for you and what isn’t working so well? What area of your life would you like to improve? Health, relationships, finances, fitness? Pick one area in which you wish to see changes and define a specific goal that you would like to pursue.
Choose one high priority goal and make it very specific, find a way to measure your goal and give yourself a deadline. Make sure it is a realistic goal too.
For example “I will lose 5lb in 2 months”, “I will walk in the park for 15 minutes every day”, “I will spend one afternoon per month with my mom”.
Break your goal down into achievable parts, designing and developing new habits as you need them. Visualize yourself successfully completing your goal and taking positive steps towards its completion.
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Find your motivation.
You deserve to be healthy, happy and living the life you desire. Find the positive reasons why you want to make a change in your life and write them down. Revisit your list as often as possible, especially when you want to motivate yourself.
Keep adding to your list of reasons why you are adopting new habits. Also record your progress and put both lists somewhere visible. Remember to reward yourself when you make even the smallest of steps towards your goal.
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Get support.
Telling others what your goal is will help you stick to it. However, it is vitally important your carefully pick your allies. Choose people who will positively empower you to make changes. Completely avoid people who say you cannot do it!
Seeking some professional support can also provide information, tools and tips to help you reach your goals more easily. Experts can also recognize and resolve the ‘tricks’ your mind may try to sabotage your progress.
Get going!
So, now you know how and why your resolutions have failed in the past. The next step is to choose a goal and get going! Start your own personal revolution. What one thing would you like to see improved in your life right now?
When I decided to make significant changes in my life, focusing on my health, I relied on the love and support of friends, colleagues and experts to help me progress. I am immensely grateful for all the advice, guidance and encouragement I received during my journey to recover my health and live my life to its fullest potential. It worked because I worked it and I was worth it… and so are you!
So now I want to empower YOU with all the knowledge and experience I have gained over the last 17 years helping people to live healthier, happier lives, one day at a time. So, to start this year with a gentle health revolution, would you like to join me for a 30 day challenge?
The ‘Fit and Fabulous in 2105 30-day challenge’ is a 4 week online course packed full off fitness tools and health strategies, recipes, and other juicy information. The challenge has been designed to guide and support you to improve your health and fitness.
Want to know more?
Simply click here to find out more about how easily you can: increase your energy levels, improve your health and enhance your wellbeing – without having to join a gym or buy special equipment!
You’ll receive everything you need to plan and prepare simple, delicious, healthy meals and take good care of YOUR body. Plus you’ll be given all the support and guidance you need to live your life to its fullest and fittest potential.
Let me help YOU to flex your will-power muscles and start your own New Year’s Revolution with the ‘Fit and Fabulous in 30-day challenge’.
Roseann Zaft, founder of LIVEFIT llc, is a passionate health and wellness professional who has for the last two decades helped clients successfully implement strategies to improve their wellbeing with amazing results. Using a combination of nutrition and fitness therapies Roseann’s training empowers individuals and groups with the knowledge and confidence to live the most vital life possible. Her lust for life is infective and inspiring, benefiting her clients with expertise combined with loving kindness.
Roseann is a board certified Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach, Fitness Trainer, Yoga Therapist, Live and Raw Foods Educator, Whole Body Nutritional Detox Program Facilitator and Essential Oils Expert. She is also certified with ACE, AFAA Stott Pilates, Johnny G and Titliest Golf and a member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP).
Are you ready to LIVEFIT? You can by connecting with Roseann in all sorts of ways!
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