Tips for New Years Resolutions

By Tracy Gilbert, HBA, MA, ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine

The start of a New Year is a time of new beginnings – a time to reflect on your life and consider what you want to accomplish for the year to come. This year, when you think of setting "New Year's Resolutions", consider them as goals that you want to accomplish throughout the year and follow these steps to increase your chances of success:

1. Write them down

The simple act of writing down goals has been shown to increase the chances of success. Post your written goals in a place where you can see them easily to help keep you on track.

2. Focus on Small Changes

Each month, focus on small changes that are easy to incorporate into your life and that move you in the direction of your goals. Trying to do everything at once is more likely to lead to discouragement and failure. To make lasting changes, you must create new habits/rituals by focusing on small changes over times. A few small changes each month will result in big changes over the course of a year!

3. Be Specific

Make sure your goals are specific and measurable. It is not enough to say that you want to be "happier" – how will you know when you get there if you have nothing to measure it by? Set dates to increase your accountability. Outline small steps to help create a path to accomplishing your goals and reward yourself for hitting milestones along the way. Find ways to track and measure your progress – this will help to keep you motivated!

4. Create Balanced Goals

To increase overall life satisfaction, it is important to create goals in all areas of your life – including health, family/friends, leisure, work, and money. We all have a tendency to sacrifice personal health and leisure goals for work and hectic lifestyles – but don’t forget to make these a priority this year! Your life will be fuller and more productive if you take time to do things you enjoy.

Tracy Gilbert is a naturopathic doctor, author, and yoga instructor. She offers naturopathic family health care at Ezentials, a health centre and spa in Hanmer, ON.

Disclaimer: The articles posted on this website are for educational purposes only. Before starting or stopping any treatment, you should consult your own health care provider or visit a registered Naturopathic Doctor.