It’s been estimated that at least a third of us enjoy making New Year’s resolutions every time December rolls over to January, but the vast majority of us never actually stick to them. How many times have you found yourself making the same resolution as you made last year, but saying it with a little less confidence than last time?
Unfortunately, a lot of these resolutions tend to be about our health. We’re aware of the problems we may be facing and the risks we might take unnecessarily, but we’re still reluctant to change our habits. Perhaps the problem is we aren’t thinking through the potential benefits of making straightforward, realistic commitments and planning how to stick to them. Here are a few examples that you may benefit from in 2017.
1) Weight Loss
This remains one of the most commonly proclaimed resolutions: next year I’ll be lighter! One of the most common problems with actually sticking to this is that people expect great results very quickly. In reality the process should be as gradual as possible, because this vastly increases your body’s chances of adjusting correctly and not bouncing back to your old eating habits as soon as things get difficult.
2) Give Up Smoking
Another extremely popular resolution is to quit smoking cigarettes. For lots of people this doesn’t work because they lack the motivation, even if this seems irrational because they know all the health risks. As well as saving money, quitting smoking reduces a broad range of health risks, but you really need some support and a lot of determination to succeed. Maybe the New Year will give you the boost of energy you’re lacking?
3) Healthier Relationships
Some people like to think of the New Year as an opportunity to catch up with old friends and work harder at those relationships that are a bit more distant than we would like. This can actually really benefit your health if you get it right! Not only do people with better social bonds tend to outlive others, but having good supportive friends around you can protect you from the pitfalls of mental health issues and the accompanying increased likelihood of addiction problems.