Full of good intentions? What does it take to stick to them!?

Een nieuw jaar is van start gegaan. Een goed moment om even stil te staan bij onze goede voornemens! Hoe zit dat bij jou?… By mid-January, things are usually still going well. Over 70% of people with New Year's resolutions are still on the right track at that point. After a month, that percentage has already dropped to 5%. That is a shame, because successful behavioral change usually requires persistence for longer than a month. To get this year off to a good start, we offer you a few tips to help you stick to your resolutions.

Make your goals visible

You make your goals visible by writing them down and ensuring that you actually see them. In other words: remind yourself of what you want to achieve and how you plan to do it. If you see your goals regularly, they stay fresh in your memory. This helps you take action, resist temptations, and achieve your goals. For example, write your goals in your planner, stick a Post-it with your goals on your door, or hang them above your bed!

Discuss it with your friends and family

Have you told your family and friends what your goals or resolutions are? It is not only fun to discuss this with each other, but it can also help you achieve your goals. When you tell your family or friends what you want to achieve and how you are going to do it, they can help you along the way. They can help you avoid temptations and seize opportunities. For example, if you want to quit smoking, it is nice not to be constantly offered a cigarette by your friends. Your support network can also help by reminding you of your goals, complimenting you when things are going according to plan, and allowing you to reflect on your process together.

Monitor your progress

How are your resolutions going? Are you managing to get enough exercise every day? Do you work out often enough per week? If you know where you stand, you also know how far (or close) your goal is. Only when you know where you stand can you know what to do to get to where you ultimately want to be. Is it not going as fast as hoped? Then try a little harder! Maybe it is working and you just need to adjust your planned route slightly, but your destination is still reachable! Is it going exactly as desired? Great job! Keep it up! Tracking your progress also makes it easier to achieve your resolutions, because you are working on them more consciously. If you write down every day whether you have done it, you won't forget your resolutions.

Give it time

Change takes time. It doesn't have to succeed all at once. Remember: every small step you take brings you closer to your goal! If you don't always manage to stick to your resolution, that doesn't have to be a problem. The research mentioned above shows that a 'missed opportunity' makes no significant difference if you have stuck to your resolution at least three times before. So don't get discouraged; your ultimate goal is still achievable!

Enjoy all your successes

To make good resolutions a reality, some form of reward is necessary. This can be an external or intrinsic reward. Rewards make it more fun and easier to change your behavior. Often, achieving success is sufficient; the feeling you get from it is a wonderful reward. You are allowed to reward yourself for all successes, no matter how small they are. Enjoy the small things you have already achieved and celebrate the bigger moments of victory. A very nice reward for achieving success is making someone else happy. For example, sending a card with a beautiful wish to someone close to you. You make that person happy, and yourself in the process. This makes perseverance even more enjoyable.