So. Another year dawns. And as it does, millions will make – or have already made – a New Year resolution. But do they really work, or are they just a social cliché that we go along with for form’s sake, with no real intention of sticking to them? The evidence seems to point to the latter – a recent YouGov poll showed that only a quarter (24%) of Britons who made resolutions in 2018 kept all of them, while 28% said they kept none of them.
Despite this, though, few would deny that New Year resolutions are a good idea in principle. After all, the beginning of a new year is a great time – both psychologically and practically – to implement changes for the better in our lives. But, although most people recognise this, few – as we’ve noted – seem able to follow through on their commitment to themselves. Why should this be?
Well, according to recent studies, your chances of success in carrying out a NY resolution depends heavily on where you are in the ‘acceptance process’ of change. In other words, those who are still in the ‘contemplation phase’ (still thinking about making a change) are much less likely to succeed than those who have reached the ‘action phase’ (that is, they have already accepted the idea of change, and are ready to take action). So progressing from the Contemplation stage to the Action stage is critical. Interestingly, studies also show that help from an external partner, such as a professional lifestyle manager, who can share in accountability, can help this progression enormously. That’s where we can help.
If you’ve decided that you could benefit from a fresh start in some area or another of your life, and you want to kick things off with a New Year Resolution, you’ll find that one of our Lifestyle managers can play a key role in helping you achieve your goal. Below are three of the most common areas in which people set resolutions with some suggestions about how you can be successful in staying on track.
Health and wellbeing
Health objectives – such as losing weight – are extremely popular goals, but they’re also among the first to be ditched when life gets busy. The key is to be specific, and to plan. Decide things like: How much weight you want to lose, and by when? How often will you exercise, and in what way? Next make a contingency plan – decide what you’ll do if you ‘fall off the wagon’ – being mentally ready for this to happen will make you less prone to despair and giving up if it does (and it’s likely to!). A Lifestyle manager can help with all these things – by creating an eating plan, for example, or helping with the shopping, or accompanying you to, and motivating you at, gym sessions.
Making your Bucket List happen
No matter what your Bucket List contains, a Lifestyle manager can help you tick off the items on it. Once you’ve decided on the item, and what’s required to make it happen, your Lifestyle manager can take over the planning, while keeping you in the loop at every step. You can have as much, or as little, involvement as you want. This way, you’ll ensure that you bucket list event is everything you dreamed it would be.
Learning something new
This could be anything from reading more, to learning a new language. But, whatever it is, remember that it helps to be specific. How many books will you read each month? Will you visit the country of your chosen language for some real-life practice? If so, when? How, exactly, will you learn – online self-study, for example, or by using a specialist coach or tutor? Once you’ve made your plan, your Lifestyle manager can help you carry it out – by picking up books, for instance, or enrolling you in local classes, or by researching other opportunities that will help you reach your goal.
To find out more about how our Lifestyle managers can help you – simply call us!