So the new year has begun and you’ve made a New Year’s resolution. How can you make sure it doesn’t go out the window by February? Perhaps these tips for sticking to your resolution will help…
New Year’s Resolution Tip #1: Be specific
Lots of people give up on their resolutions because they choose ones that are too big, vague and overwhelming. Whether your resolution is to do more sport, be a better friend, take up photography or anything else, you have a better chance of making it happen if you narrow it down.
For example, if your resolution is to be a better friend, make it your mission to remember your friends’ birthdays and to write a card for them, or to ask them often about what’s going on their lives. If you want to get more involved in sport, find out what sports your school or community offers and decide on a class to take or a team to sign up for. That way you have somewhere specific to start!
New Year’s Resolution Tip #2: Set goals
New Year’s resolutions are easier to keep if you break them down in manageable chunks. Now that you have a starting point because you made your resolution specific, you’ll find it easier to stick to your resolution if you have smaller goals to work towards along the way to your end goal. So if you decided to make 2014 the year you write a book, you could set a goal of a certain number of words to write every week, for example.
New Year’s Resolution Tip #3: Get help!
Just because it’s your resolution, doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help. Sometimes having someone to chat to about your goal or even just to ask you how it’s going every now and then can make all the difference. If you have a teacher or family member who knows all about whatever you’re planning to do, that’s great, but you can also do your own research to help you on your way. Your school library is a good place to start, and here at Jump we also have some great resources – see the list below for some helpful how-to articles.
Good luck, and let us know in the comments if you’d like to write for us about what you’re working on!
Photo by Sally Mahoney
By Rebecca Dodd
Rebecca is Jump! Mag’s Social Media Volunteer, and a freelance online journalist.
