America has become a split society when it comes to new year’s resolutions. According to the online magazine Statistic Brain, only 41% of Americans currently make resolutions, while 42% do not.
Sadly, 90% of people currently making resolutions on any subject admit failure within the first six months. Why? People simply are not clear on what their goal is. Explicit resolutions are 10 times more likely to be achieved than those that are not.
Counselors advise writing down achievable goals that are measurable. Additionally, it helps to become accountable to a friend, reporting in frequently on results to date. Another boosting factor for success is telling the same friend what the next target is, and of your plans to get there.
Just 20 years ago, most Americans made resolutions about self-improvement, career development and finances with a high percentage of success. Today, losing weight is still a common goal.
But, even experts’ tips are not enough for guaranteed success. Perhaps the goals you set seem unachievable from the get-go: for example, losing 25 pounds, even if you need to, seems nearly impossible. Efforts toward reaching this goal could seem futile.
An alternative approach is to change the focus of the goal. Just as a piece of white lint on a black sweater becomes the focus, the 25-pound goal takes over mentally, creating its own drama in the mind.
Here are some suggestions for goals with a more relatable focus.
EAT MORE VEGGIES
Instead of counting calories and feeling deprived, add more food — namely, vegetables — to your intake.
Make veggies the focus, the first foods consumed for every meal and snack. By adding more food, the mind connects to just that one shift instead of all the other variables involved with losing 25 pounds.
Added benefits of eating more vegetables include increased phytonutrients and fiber. Both help
control the appetite, while improving overall health. Eating veggies makes you feel fuller, faster.
Cutting down on portion sizes of all other foods consumed synergistically works with increased veggie consumption to speed up weight loss. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island also suggest chewing sugar-free gum. Their study found those who chewed gum throughout the morning consumed 67 fewer calories at lunch. Every calorie counts, and each day adds up.
BENEFITS OF KIND WORDS
Adding a deliberate plan of spreading kind words to others returns immense benefits. Kind words and hugs both release oxytocin — the “feel-good” hormone — into our system while decreasing cortisol — the “stress” hormone.
A deliberate plan could include committing to write a note every day, complimenting others throughout the day or even donating time or money to a good cause. According to a study at the University of
British Columbia and Harvard Business School, giving money to a worthy cause makes us feel happier. During the holiday season, I gave away seasonal lapel pins every time someone noticed it. It made me happy as I watched their elated responses.
DROP THAT ONE NO-NO
Instead of tackling the change of dropping 100 things from your diet or lifestyle, pick that one big no-no that really would change your life. It is easier to focus on staying true to a plan to do just one thing.
List all the things that could make a difference. Then, select just one. Focus on the biggest bang for your buck. This technique can be applied to both your personal life, as well as your career.
Jennifer E. Closshey, Ph.D., is a doctor of integrative health based out of Plant City. Contact her at JenniferClosshey@gmail.com.