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You may have made lofty New Year’s resolutions—meditate more, conquer the handstand—but, not surprisingly, change can be a slow process. If, a few weeks into January, you already feel exhausted by the pressure of your New Year intentions, you’re not alone.
But just because you feel like you’re failing doesn’t mean you are. In fact, it’s a good thing to set new goals and challenge yourself. It may simply be the way you move toward your goals that needs to be revamped.
Here are five ways you can get unstuck with your New Year’s resolutions, both on and off your yoga mat.
1. Frame Your Goals in a Positive Way
Research shows that the way you verbalize your goals can have an impact on whether or not you follow through with them. Goals that focus on what you will do (instead of what you won’t do) are actually linked with more positive outcomes.
We’ve all heard the New Year’s resolutions that sound like these: “I won’t eat junk food,” or “I won’t go to bed late.”
But instead of focusing on the behavior you want to avoid, try setting your goals in accordance with the actions you’re swapping in. “I will add a serving of veggies to my lunch,” or “I will aim to go to bed at 10 pm each night” are great alternatives.
For many people, even the term “New Year’s resolutions” feels outdated and unhelpful. Maybe you call your goals your “New Year’s refresh” instead.
2. Make Small Shifts
Breaking up your bigger goals into baby steps is a great way to keep up your motivation throughout the year.
Say your intention is to clean your home of clutter. Narrow this down by picking a room in your home. Or, better yet, pick a section of a room like your desk area.
Start with 10 minutes a week where you sort items into “keep,” “donate,” and “throw away” piles from that specific section. If you do more, great! But the idea is that you’re less likely to be overwhelmed by bite-sized goals.
You can also find inspiration on social media, like this trendy hanger trick. Turn all the clothes hanging in your closet to face the opposite direction than they normally would. After you wear something, re-hang the item facing in the normal direction.
After some time, you’ll notice that the clothes hanging in the opposite direction are probably pieces you don’t wear very often. From there, you can decide what you might want to give away.
3. Accept Help
This is a big one, and it can start with something as simple as your yoga practice. Do you let yourself use props? Do you ask for a modification when a pose doesn’t feel right? Giving yourself permission to do something differently can translate into other sectors of your life.
The next time you need to bring your back knee to the ground in Lunge or put a block under your hand during Triangle Pose, allow yourself to do it! See if these actions inspire you to accept help in your life outside of yoga.
Maybe you ask a friend to join you on your morning walk, or you join a support group to help yourself quit smoking. Let others help you achieve your goals.
4. Be of Service
This year, perhaps you ask how you can improve the lives of others in your community—a question that aligns perfectly with a principle of yoga called seva, meaning selfless service.
You might volunteer at a local charity, food bank, or animal shelter. You may already have skills you can offer your community. Yoga teachers, for instance, may consider offering a free class in an underserved community or volunteering at a local prison.
Donating your time can help you gain greater clarity surrounding your personal goals, too. Research shows that volunteer activities can improve your self-esteem, sense of purpose, and even your physical health. Participating in something that’s bigger than yourself can be a pivotal turning point in moving forward.
RELATED 15 Ways for You to Volunteer Your Talents to Help Others
5. Give Yourself Credit
Perhaps the most effective way to achieve your goals isn’t to punish yourself for how far you have left to go, but to reward yourself for your attempts.
Rewarding yourself for taking steps toward your New Year’s resolutions is a great method of sustaining your motivation, too.
Get creative with how you celebrate your efforts. Some ideas could be:
- Buying yourself a new houseplant or a candle
- Blasting your favorite song and having a solo dance party
- Giving yourself 15 minutes to bask in the sunshine
- Scheduling a movie night at the end of a busy week
Take time out of your day to appreciate yourself for trying—even if you fall short of your expectations. Embracing a mantra like “Progress not perfection” can help you keep the bigger picture in mind as you strive to create change this year.
This article has been updated. Originally published January 16, 2017.
