Have you made your New Year’s resolutions for 2022? Did you make the same ones last year? New Year’s resolutions are easy to make but often hard to keep.

Whether you want to be more active, get more sleep, or spend more time with family, we put together six steps to help you stay on track and reach your goals.

1. Set attainable goals. Let’s say you want to eat healthier, so you’ve decided to stop eating anything with added sugar. Going cold turkey on sugar could leave you feeling deprived and set you up for failure. A more attainable goal to consider would be adding a vegetable to every meal. By doing so, you’re acquiring a healthier habit that will help you cut down on sugar.
2. Write down your New Year’s resolutions. Be specific and list your goals on a sheet of paper that you can tape to your bathroom mirror or near your coffeemaker. Next, get a poster board and create a vision board using words, quotes, and pictures from magazines.  Post your vision board where you’ll see it easily and often. Be sure to reinforce your goals by reading them aloud daily.
3. Take baby steps toward your goals. For example, let’s say you resolve to walk three miles a day, five days a week. Start by walking half a mile two days a week. Do that for the first week or two. On the third week, increase to half a mile three days a week and so on. Eventually, you can begin adding distance to your daily walks. Soon, you will have developed a habit that becomes second nature.
4. Share your goals with your spouse or a friend. It’s easier to keep going when you are accountable to someone else. Plus, you may inspire them to join you.
5. Check your progress and reset as needed. Schedule a few minutes on Sunday evenings to evaluate your progress. Keep in mind; everyone has days or weeks when life gets messy. So, expect occasional setbacks and recognize when you’re doing well.
6. Reward yourself. Incremental rewards will keep you motivated. If your goal was to exercise more, consider treating yourself to new workout clothes or a  TENS + EMS device. Choose rewards that motivate you to reach the next milestone.

The most challenging part of reaching your goals is sticking with them, especially when you feel like you’re not making much progress. Remember, sustainable change occurs over time.

Stay the course, and before long, you’ll be able to look back and recognize just how far you’ve come.

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