By Maddie Rodriguez

6 Ways to Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions.

Now that the rosy glow of New Year’s Eve has faded, we’re left with the harsh light of day and the hard work of not making, but keeping our New Year’s Resolutions. So what are some best practices for keeping those resolutions?

Be strategic.
The first step to keeping your resolution is to make sure it’s the right resolution. Take a moment to re-assess your resolution to make sure it is realistic. It’s important to be excited and ambitious, but the last thing you want to do is set yourself up to fail.

Be selfish.
In the same vein as #1, consider whether your resolution is really about you. Is your resolution about helping you accomplish a personally significant goal, or is it about fitting yourself into a mould of what other people think you should be? Choose a resolution that brings joy, fulfillment or stability into your life.

Be a team player.
It can be easier to stick to your resolution when you have someone to offer in-the-moment support and motivation. Try making your resolution more social: enlist a work-out buddy, join a knitting group, connect with an online book cub, etc.

Be scheduled.
A resolution is easier to keep when it becomes a habit. Try to set aside a designated time out of your day or week to practice your resolution.

Be flexible.
Life happens; no matter how hard you try, sometimes things get in the way. If you find you can’t devote your entire allotted time to practicing your resolution, try to adopt the mantra of “every little bit helps.” Do five minutes of stretching, write fifty words—anything to stay in the habit.

Be stubborn.
Let’s say you break your resolution entirely—for a day, for a week, for a month even. It’s easy to be discouraged but don’t feel like because you don’t have a spotless track record, you have to toss the whole plan. Grit your teeth, get back on track and keep going.