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There are fewer than ten weeks left in the decade. For millions of Americans, the New Year is a time to reset, reflect, and form new habits. Lots of us can make some pretty big changes in the next ten years of life.
Yet despite our best efforts, only 8% of people meet their New Year’s goals. One of my friends, Amanda, has set a goal to eat healthier food every year for eight years. The failure rate is high. Why is this?
Well, for Amanda, it’s a combination of factors. She doesn’t remember what “healthier food” means. In January, she eats salads and cooks at home and by March, it means not buying a family pack of Doritos. She doesn’t remind herself why she wanted to eat healthier. One year it was because she wanted to feel more awake in the mornings. But she was measuring success by her weight. She also hated dieting and continually criticized herself.
Because of all these failure points, many experts say to stop making New Year’s resolutions. I don’t think that’s the answer. Goal-setting is important. And even small changes like a haircut, new shoes, or a new morning habit can be an important way to keep life interesting and demarcate different periods in your life. Honoring major events, like the New Year, can help…
