Setting New Year’s Intentions: 10 Tips to Help Them Stick!
A new year often comes with a surge of motivation to set intentions and make positive life changes. Whether adopting healthier habits, cultivating a more mindful mindset, or pursuing personal and professional growth, the enthusiasm at the beginning of the year is palpable. However, as the weeks progress, many find their resolutions fading away.
In this blog post, we'll explore ten practical and actionable tips to set meaningful intentions for the new year and ensure they stick around long enough to become lasting habits.
So, if you're tired of the cycle of setting resolutions only to abandon them by February, read on for strategies to make 2024 the year your intentions truly take root.
Identify Your Why: Motivation and willpower will only take you so far; digging deep and identifying your true WHY is essential. Why do you want to make this change? Clarifying your purpose can give you the drive to stay committed.
Start Small: Begin with manageable changes. Small victories build momentum and confidence for more significant transformations!
Set Clear Goals: Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals to track progress effectively. For a 30-second lesson on developing SMART goals, view this short video.
Create a Plan: Develop a detailed action plan, including the steps to implement the habit change and steps you’ll take to get back on track quickly if you get derailed (more on that below).
Establish Accountability: Share your goals with a friend, family member, or coach who can support and encourage you throughout your journey. According to research, people have a 65% chance of achieving their goals if they commit to someone. However, the likelihood of success rises to 95% when they have a specific accountability appointment with that person.
Track Your Progress: Keep a journal or use habit-tracking apps like Habit Tracker or Streaks to monitor your actions and celebrate your achievements.
Be Consistent and Persistent: Consistency is crucial in forming new habits. According to a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, a new behavior takes an average of 66 days to become automatic and habitual. Also, stay persistent – habit change requires time and effort. Even when progress seems slow, trust the process and keep moving forward.
Mindset: Be kind to yourself throughout this process and let go of perfection. Permit yourself to make mistakes, and allow yourself to fail – this is where growth happens! This mindset will eventually allow you to view setbacks as stepping stones toward progress. If you slip up, dust yourself off and move forward. It doesn’t throw off your whole plan; it’s just a little bump in the road. There will always be bumps, and that's okay.
Replace Negative Triggers: Identify triggers that lead to old habits and replace them with positive alternatives.
Visualize Success: Picture yourself incorporating the new habit into your life and how good it feels. Visualization can reinforce your commitment. Research shows that individuals who used visualization techniques to imagine achieving their goals were more committed and motivated to work towards them. Visualization improved their mindset and increased their chances of achieving their objectives.
Achieving lasting change requires more than patience and commitment. By embracing the ten tips discussed, you're laying the groundwork for sustainable habits that will endure beyond the initial enthusiasm of the new year. Celebrate small victories, learn from setbacks, and let 2024 be the year your intentions become lasting accomplishments. Here's to a purposeful and fulfilling journey ahead!
Thrive well, y’all!
XO,
Katherine