Tips for sticking with New Year's Resolution

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- A new year means New Year’s resolutions. It happens every year, we make a pledge and promise to keep up with it, but, we rarely follow through.

A psychiatrist at Beacon Medical Group describes New Year’s resolutions as a personal habit or behavior that people want to change, and in order to change, we must unlearn our own habits.

“We often make New Year’s resolutions because the changing of the year seems like a really good time to change something about yourself,” Dr. Elizabeth Hay said.

Crafting a New Year’s resolutions can be exciting, especially when it’s centered around all the new habits and routines that you’ve been wanting to do and telling yourself you’re going to start. A resolution can be as simple as wanting to learn a new hobby, getting healthier, exercising more, or even focusing on your own wellbeing.

So, why do we tend to break resolutions so quickly? Well, Dr. Hay said often the behaviors we want to change are habits, and in order to form a habit, it takes about 21 days.

“There have actually been some studies on New Year’s resolutions believe it or not, and the statistics are about 10 percent of people that make resolutions are able to keep them, past the month of March,” Dr. Hay said.

Dr. Hay also said that people who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to change their behaviors as opposed to those who don’t make one.

If you’re planning on making some big changes, having a resolution is a great start. Dr. Hay said make sure you’re goal is concrete and specific.

For example, if your goal is to lose weight have a weight loss number in mind, or if you want to go to the gym more often, be specific in terms of how many days each week.

Writing your resolution down on paper can also be a reminder and help you visualize your goal.

“Just remember even if you can’t keep all or any of your resolutions, the important thing is you’ve made the effort,” Dr. Hay said.