As the clocks strike midnight at New Year, if not before, attention quickly turns towards setting resolutions. Resolutions are often pitched as an opportunity for new beginnings, a new you, as though the old you just wasn’t quite good enough. Setting resolutions is big business, for example, a diet regime; gym membership or such like are marketed as being worth every cent to change your life forever.
I think it’s great that we use a new year to take stock, re-assess and make changes. We need to do so in a way, however, where we are bought into this change, and not just following the latest craze or fad that society expects of us. Think about any resolutions you have set in the past. Did they stick? You would be in the minority if they did.
Setting resolutions that make dramatic changes are challenging to sustain. The initial enthusiasm soon dwindles, with ‘quitters day’ on 12th January being the day most are likely to give up on their resolutions.
I know all too well the challenges of setting resolutions that stick. I remember setting a resolution to stop eating all foods with added sugar. I would pour over ingredient lists in supermarkets, making my own no added sugar dishes. This was a time consuming exercise, however, and being a time poor Dad of twins, coupled with the lure of leftover festive sugary foods, I soon fell off the wagon.
One resolution that really stuck for me was when I ramped up my yoga practice. I remember it well. It was six months after my boys were born, and I was knackered. I organised weekly Do Yoga With Me classes for work colleagues and had seen DYWM advertise its first 30-day challenges in the run up to new year. I signed up, with this ultimately becoming the catalyst for a life-long yoga journey.
Why did this resolution stick where so many other resolutions have failed?
Here are four tips from my experience that can help you make your resolutions a habit.
1. Do something you enjoy
It’s easy to fall into the trap of setting resolutions that don’t necessarily resonate with you. A new year provides the perfect opportunity for self-reflection. Use the time wisely to think about what you enjoy doing or would love to do. Discuss with family and friends, and write down any ideas. I love practicing yoga, and thoroughly enjoyed Do Yoga With Me classes, so signing up to a challenge felt like the logical next step in deepening my practice. If you struggle for inspiration, Rachel has had a fantastic idea for 2020, where every week, we choose something that we want to do better. Preferably something small, that we may have been meaning to do for a long time, but never got round to it. For example, drink more water, not use single-use plastics or to make contact with a friend.
2. Set realistic expectations
Having figured out what you enjoy, it’s easy to get carried away, and be overly optimistic on what can be achieved. Setting unrealistic expectations increases the likelihood that the resolution will fail. With the Do Yoga With Me 30-day challenge, I had no idea where it would lead beyond the 30 days, certainly not becoming the yoga teacher I am today. Applying the principles of yoga, I set an intention each day to practice yoga, and that was enough to start the ball rolling.
When setting resolutions, consider what’s achievable and over what timescales. Consider what success looks like for you, and the incremental steps to get there.
3. Establish a new routine
Finding time to follow through on a resolution can be challenging. We are creatures of habit, and making any changes to a routine can be disruptive. When I signed up to the Do Yoga With Me challenge, my routine was eat, sleep, work, bottle feed, wind twins, repeat. Squeezing yoga in was going to be a challenge.
What I figured though was that the boys were often restless early morning, with me often laid in bed waiting for them to wake. I found that by getting up earlier, and doing the 30-day challenge, with one ear to the baby monitor worked well. I was able to use my time more productively, and by practicing yoga, I rediscovered my identity and felt a sense of control, equipped for daily life. When setting resolutions, consider the practicalities. Is this something you can do at home, or will you need to travel, and if so, how far? Are there any pockets of time available, and will you need to reprioritize or let go of tasks that don’t serve you?
4. Embrace change in all its glory
Having done the groundwork, you’re now ready to get started. Don’t think that this needs to start on 1st January, and if not, it doesn’t constitute a resolution. In the context of yoga, I set a resolution every day I arrive onto the mat, for example, framed by how I feel in body and mind on a given day. Taking stock of your personal situation means that the resolution best reflects you at that time. The beauty of the Do Yoga With Me 30-day challenge was that I could dip in and out of classes,. This meant that this didn’t become a chore. Once the 30-day challenge was over, I wanted more. As a yogi, we aspire to be flexible in both body and mind, so embrace change, and be excited by where this may take you.
