How You Can Stick To New Year Resolutions

March 5, 2022

It’s that time of year again when people’s strong commitments to their New Year’s resolutions start to dwindle.

You don’t want to be a part of that group. So, how can you make sure that you stick to a resolution for as long as possible?

Check Your Budget

Before you get ahead of yourself and start buying things to complete your resolution, see how much it costs and calculate whether you can comfortably fit it in with your budget or not.

Why?

You want to pick something that you can afford to do for more than a few months.

Say your resolution is to get fit this year. You buy exercise equipment for your home and workout clothes from the top athletic brands. You sign up for a gym membership, get a physical trainer and join some boutique fitness classes for those days when you won’t go to the gym. All of these expenses will quickly add up and become very difficult to keep up with.

Overspending on your resolution will do more than push you to quit soon after you start. It will also put you in a bad financial spot. You’ll be draining your checking account and making yourself vulnerable to any surprise expense that comes your way. What will you do if your car needs a sudden repair? What if you have to call a plumber to fix a leaky pipe?

If you ever have an emergency that you don’t have the savings for, you can put the charge on your credit card and pay down the balance later. Or you can apply for a personal line of credit online and see whether you get approved. If you’re approved, a line of credit can get you the cash you need right now to handle your emergency expense and move forward. Like a credit card, you will get to focus on repayments later on.

Talk to Friends

Don’t keep your resolution for the year a big secret. Talk to your friends about it! Let them know what your ultimate goal is and what you’re doing to reach it.

Why?

Your friends want to support you — so let them! By telling them your plans for your resolution, they can help you stick to it. They’ll encourage you when you’re feeling down on yourself and need a pep talk. They’ll hold you accountable and push you to keep going if you ever feel like giving up.

Telling your friends can also prevent them from accidentally sabotaging your goals. Say that your goal is to cut down on drinking alcohol for the rest of the year. If your friends don’t know that you’re doing this, they could accidentally pressure you to abandon your goals by inviting you to bar nights or buying you drinks.

Make It Fun

It’s important to make sure that working on your resolution is enjoyable, especially when you’re hoping to stick to it for as long as possible.

Why?

You won’t stick to a resolution that feels boring — or worse, punishing. You’ll dread working towards it and eventually give up on it. For instance, if you want to eat healthier, you shouldn’t force yourself to eat bland salads or celery sticks. Instead, focus on finding delicious, healthy recipes that you know you’ll enjoy down to the last bite. You’ll want to stick to this habit when it makes you happy.