By the Numbers
Fulfilling Your New Year’s Resolution by the End of January
By Tom Copeland
Many people who commit to New Year’s resolutions do so out of motivation and a deep, influential notion that January 1st brings a new opportunity to start over. So many people believe in the power of a New Year, in fact, that by some estimates as many as 40% to 50% of Americans will participate in the holiday ritual year after year. Unfortunately, by those same estimates only a fraction of resolution-makers stick to and accomplish their goals. Why?
Maybe our society is just so infatuated with instant gratification and infected so deeply with the infantile “I-want-it-now” attitude that we give up too early on our resolutions. Or perhaps our goals are too lofty. Much more likely, in my opinion, is that maybe we’re just tackling our resolutions from the wrong angle; if we have the right tools and a plan, success will be much more probably. Why not aim for an attainable goal that can be reached by the end of January and then use that momentum to continue improving each month? Here, I’m going to propose some practical tips for reaching common New Year resolutions by the end of January (or at least get you well on your way!)
According to USA.gov, below are 3 of the 10 most common New Year’s resolutions (in no particular order.)
1) Quit smoking – it’s the holy grail of resolutions. If you’re trying to quit cold turkey, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Smokefree.gov has tools, tips, resources, expert advice, and so much more to help you quit. In addition, Florida has a number of non-profit associations that aim to provide services to those who want to quit: check out tobaccofreeflorida.com and truth.org. Create a plan to quit and consider how much you spent on cigarettes in 2010 – that alone may be enough encouragement to get smoke-free by January 31st.
2) Lose weight – again, going about it alone is gets you off on the wrong foot. Find friends and family to help you get motivated and share like-minded goals. Know what results you want to achieve before you start. The fact is, weight loss is real and it’s attainable, but it’s not always easy. By taking some notes from an old fashioned playbook, you can be guaranteed to be on your way to lose weight by the end of January. It’s simple: create a healthier diet, exercise every day, and be consistent.
3) Drink less – ever wake up with a hangover, promise to the heavens you’ll never drink again, and then before you know it you realize you’re right back at it the next weekend? I know the feeling too. The key to feeling better about your drinking is moderation. Make your goal to quit drinking for the month of January and go from there. If you’re feeling great, quit for February too, and keep the snowball rolling. Again, there’s an endless amount of resources, support groups, and tools available, all for free, to help you kick the bottle – you just have to find the motivation to get involved.
Other common resolutions include the desire to give more and get involved in volunteer opportunities (there’s no shortage of that in Palm Beach County – perform a Google search to find something that interests you). If managing your debt is your resolution, during the first week of January get some information on credit card consolidation or create and commit to a family budget.
Lastly, furthering your education may be your goal and if so, there’s no better time than now. There’s a ton of grants and interest-free education loans available if you qualify. Also, keep in mind that you don’t have to get a 4-year degree; consider simply taking professional and training courses that are available and common in your industry.
As we enter the New Year, good luck with those resolutions! Remember, for now, just focus on getting through the first 30 days; it will get easier and easier after that!
Tom Copeland is the founder of Bullworthy.com, a Web development and content management firm in West Palm Beach. Find him at http://www.bullworthy.com.