Whoa – talk about bursting your bubble – right at the get-go!!

There is going to be an influx of insanely convincing social media posts about how 2022 will be the year you are going to rock your New Year’s resolution! The year of YOU!!

We all know how it goes, posts about giving up the slog of a 9 to 5 work life to only working 4 hours a week in some exotic paradise whilst making a zillion bucks or you will lose tons of weight if you do XYZ or changing a lifetime of bad habits in just one week…. It’s all do-able right? – simply by putting your New Year’s resolution out into the universe on the count of midnight!

We are talking about a 5% success rate here, 95% of our resolutions dropping off by the end of January!

Here’s the thing – maybe it’s not so simple. Why is it that YOU will never stick to YOUR New Year’s resolution??

1. Don’t Should on Yourself!

We all do this. We ‘should do’ this, ‘should do’ that. We ‘should’ use the start of the New Year as a sign of a new beginning – right? What better way than declaring a New Year’s Resolution as a new beginning/to start over – to get abs like Chris Hemsworth, to have a body like J-Lo, to ditch the boring job, to spend less time scrolling mindlessly on social media! You with me? (And I’m just thinking…. some of these resolutions may be a little lofty!!)

Some changes like getting fitter, losing weight or managing your screen time are going to need strategy, lots of social support combined with a lot of self-care to achieve. We all know what we should do, but the reality is - life is hard. The truth is, you are going to need support to achieve goals for the long term.

2. You don’t really believe in yourself!

Sometimes a New Year’s resolution is nothing more than a wish. If you really don’t believe you can do it, why set a new year’s resolution at all? Before you throw that resolution out into the universe, think carefully about what you truly believe you can achieve for you. Keep it real. The more real, the more likely you will stick to it for the long term, not just a few weeks into the new year.

3. Your goals are too unrealistic?

We approach those New Year’s resolution goals with gusto! Donning on the Lorna Jane active wear and hitting the pavement (so we look the part!), eating rabbit food every day…..then, February comes around, the excitement wanes and other priorities roll in. We start to lose sight of what those goals were in the first place. You know, that resolution you made just 31 days ago!

When setting your goals, try to set mini-targets. Baby steps in the right direction. If you are wanting to cut down your social media time for example, aim to reduce it rather than bravely announcing on your favourite social media channel that you are banning it from your life!

4. Fail to Plan, plan to fail

Isn’t that the saying? If you are trying to make real lifestyle changes, such as losing weight or adopting a healthier lifestyle, it isn’t an overnight or quick fix! It takes both careful planning and commitment. A New Year’s resolution is not a plan, instead break it down into smaller chunks, starting with weekly goals and tracking.

Remember to spend moments of reflection, be kind to yourself and praise YOU for the great things you are doing, rather than what you are not.

5. It’s all too overwhelming!

Let’s be real here. The last 20 months or so have been super hard. COVID-19 has reshaped our lives and whilst many are thinking the end of 2021 is the end of the race with this disease – it really is only the beginning. Modern life is fast paced enough, the pressures coming in from every single direction. Add in those extra demands that a pandemic has thrown in – and well, it can be all quite overwhelming. On top of that, throw in a hard going New Year’s Resolution and it adds to the overwhelm. Instead look to your social supports and invest time in self-care strategies.

6. Money, Money, Money!

Going to get those rock-hard abs like Chris Hemsworth? You sign up for an expensive gym membership. Before you know it, the visits get less frequent and somehow your weekly membership turns into a donation to the gym! (Let’s hope that isn’t the case!)

If your budget and your new year’s resolution don’t align, there are plenty of ways to get fit and improve your lifestyle without it costing you a cent. Get creative in your thinking, and look to simple ways to get healthier.

7. Overcommitting

Have you made a New Year’s resolution that went something like this:

"I am going to lose 10 kilos, change my hairstyle, change careers, find more time for me and travel the world!"

Sure – You are going to keep to all of that! – Not!

Perhaps instead you look to choosing just ONE of these. Let's say I look at ‘finding more time for me’.

Your focus word for the year ahead becomes – TIME.

Just one single word, one single focus.

Much more achievable. The interpretation of time is different for everyone, but you will know exactly what this word means to you.

Here's a totally different concept -

Instead of focusing on a goal when setting your New Year's resolutions, you could try focusing on how you want to FEEL.

So with a goal like "finding more time for me", how will you feel if you have this? Free?

The resolution might become something like "I experience a feeling of freedom in all that I do."

Then, your keyword might be something like "FREEDOM".

Every time you have to make a decision or set a goal, check if it aligns with how you want to feel, and if not, adjust accordingly.

Perhaps it is time to re-think your whole strategy around New Year's resolutions.

Three key elements to your long term success for your goals are:

• Planning

• Self-care

• Support and connection

At F.A.S.T. First Aid Training we have a number of courses to support you on your well-being journey. If you are looking for connection, support and self-care strategies, let us help you get there.

For more information, head to our page about our mental health and well-being programs. Let's focus on real change. We are here to help :)

Happy New Year from all the crew at F.A.S.T. First Aid Training!