THIS WILL HELP KEEP YOUR GOOD RESOLUTIONS THIS YEAR!
The festivities, the richly laid tables and tasty glasses are well behind us. Although they were really great moments. Cozy, busy and loving. And we are left with lots of nice memories, cool presents and maybe a kilo extra here and there. Long live the holidays!
If December is the month of plenty, then many decide to keep things a bit more under control in January. Take a breather and then focus on one or more good intentions.
For years and years, the same goals have been popping up in the top 10 of good intentions in Belgium and the Netherlands: exercise more, eat healthier, stop smoking and less stress. Very nice goals but not always easy to reach as it turns out. The problem with good intentions is that we have the habit of literally throwing ourselves at them. We make drastic changes in our way of life, which of course makes it difficult for us to persevere. We are, after all, creatures of habit. And creatures of habit are hard to steer into a different direction.
So how can you make sure that your good intentions have the greatest chance of success? The following tips show you how to go about it.
1 First walk before running
Drastically throwing a whole bunch of unhealthy and bad habits usually leads to disappointments. Set yourself a limited number of realistic goals and be honest with yourself. Quitting smoking and eating healthier and planning to run a marathon is probably just too much of a good thing.
2 Divide and conquer
Divide your good intentions into small, feasible steps that you systematically introduce into your life. For example, if you have the intention to eat healthier, start with changes that are not too drastic. So set yourself the goal of not having your usual sandwiches with chocolate spread in the morning at least 3 times a week and start the day with a healthy breakfast with fruit and granola. Once you manage this, go for 5 and finally 7 times a week.
3 Find an ally
If you find a partner in crime who wants to kick the same unhealthy habits, your chances of success increase considerably. The feeling of solidarity and the slight competition between the both of you will make that you will be less inclined to stop. If you can't find an ally, inform your family and friends about your plan so that they can support you in a positive and motivating way. This way, you make a firm commitment and create a kind of social control.
4 Reward yourself
Think of a number of things with which you can reward yourself every now and then, without sabotaging your good intentions. So no cake and chocolate when you've just lost your first kilo. Focus on other, encouraging stimuli, such as a trip with a friend, an appointment at the hairdresser or a movie night out with your partner.
5 Start over and over again
Some days will be disappointing. You are a human being and not an easily reprogrammable machine. So, don't let one single off day put an end to your effort. Just start again with your new, healthier routine, do it rather today than tomorrow and be your own coach during this journey. Yes, you can!