Making New Year’s Resolutions and Staying With Them

It's New Year's resolution time, and those making resolutions are up against the odds. If you don't always keep your New Year's resolutions, you're not alone. Actually if you don't even make New Year's resolutions, you're in good company. According to Drive Research, only three in 10 Americans have made a resolution in 2024. Of those, 62% of the people making resolutions felt pressure to do that.

There's one New Year's resolution that stands above the rest. According to Drive Research, 79% of New Year's goals are about improving health. As for age groups, "Adults ages 18 to 29 make up the biggest group that made at least one resolution at 49%," Drive Research noted. "Of those ages 30 to 49, 31% made a resolution, and just 21% of those 50 and above committed to a resolution."

According to Very Well Mind, one of the best tips for keeping a resolution to pick a specific goal. "Instead of selecting such an ambiguous goal, focus on something more concrete that you can realistically set your sights on," they note. "In other words, choose a very specific, achievable goal." That makes sense, because the more specific you are, the most you can really focus on that one goal.

Harvard Health also has some ideas. They say to give thanks for what you're able to accomplish and throw out perfection. "Set your sights on finishing that marathon, not on running it," they stated. "If you compete to complete, you'll be a winner even if you wind up walking as much as you run."

Real Simple suggests turning your resolution into a routine, so that you follow it accordingly. "The key to keeping New Year's resolutions is incorporating them into a routine, according to Dion Metzger, M.D., a psychiatrist practicing in Atlanta," they note. Metzger told Real Simple, "It's not about what the resolution is, but what you plan to do about it."

Best of luck with your New Year's resolutions. Hopefully these tips help you achieve your goals.