Use these tips to stay committed to your New Years resolutions
Beat the odds and successfully keep your resolutions all year
It seems the only thing easier than making New Year’s resolutions is breaking them, right? Let’s flip the script and make 2024 the year we finally stick to our resolutions and accomplish the goals we told ourselves we want to achieve.
Statistics show the vast majority of people forget about their New Year’s resolutions within the first couple of months. In fact, almost one in four people have already given up on their resolutions by the end of the first week of January! Many people abandon their goals because they lack a support system, fail to plan, or realize their goal may have been unrealistic. Believe it or not, less than 10 percent of adults successfully keep their resolutions all year long.
Dr. Craig Janssen and the Janssen Dental Clinic team understand the importance of commitment when it comes to the challenge of making a change. As a respected biological dentist in Green Bay, Dr. Craig works with patients every day on effective strategies to stay committed to oral health-related goals, whether they are New Year’s resolutions or any other time of year.
You can enhance your probability of resolution success with the help of these simple techniques:
Ways to stay committed to your goals
Set realistic goals – Ambitious goals also need to be achievable. Breaking them down into smaller, manageable parts makes it more likely to have some critical early success. For example, committing to daily flossing would be a good first step toward achieving your overall goal of improving your oral health.
Create a plan – Write down specific steps you plan to take to achieve your goal. Scheduling time for meal planning and grocery shopping would be logical steps in your goal to eat healthier.
Track your progress – Use an app or keep a journal to keep track of your progress. You might be surprised how motivating it can be to see successive days of goal attainment in areas such as exercise, limiting alcohol consumption, or sticking to your new oral hygiene routine.
Be patient with yourself – Change doesn’t happen in a day and new habits typically don’t take hold for a few weeks. Celebrate the small victories along the way, even if it’s just one day at a time, and try not to beat yourself up if you miss a day.
Seek support – Share your goals with family or friends whom you can count on to offer encouragement.
Focus on your why – Keep reminding yourself why the pursuit of your goals is important to you. This is a powerful step in maintaining your commitment to the process.
Visualize success – Imagine how you will feel and what your life will look like when you achieve your goal. Notice how your subconscious mind doesn’t realize this is just in your imagination at this point; your body will react as though it is actually happening already, maybe even with tears of joy if the emotion is intense.
Reward yourself – Establish a reward system for reaching milestones in your journey. This reinforces the positive feelings your brain responds to when pushing beyond your familiar habits.
You can stay committed to your New Year’s resolutions through a combination of realistic goal-setting, planning, tracking your progress, and support. Persistence is the key, especially if you miss a day or two. Life happens, and giving yourself permission to be human can sometimes be just as important as sticking to your plan. Use these strategies to help you make 2024 your best year yet.
About Janssen Dental Clinic in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Janssen Dental Clinic features the dental expertise of Dr. Craig Janssen, a third-generation dentist serving patients in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the surrounding area. Dr. Craig and his staff specialize in oral health as a component of overall well-being, a philosophy of care known as biological dentistry. They have expertise in reducing the fear and anxiety that people of all ages feel over going to the dentist, with services ranging from routine cleanings to restorative and cosmetic procedures. Call (920) 983-8383 to schedule an appointment. New patients are always welcome.