Human Interest
Foolproof your 2025’s New Year’s Resolutions
We’re a few days away from officially closing the book in 2024. Be prepared to see on social media hundreds of posts about “2024 in review” but without actually including all the forgotten resolutions because of common excuses we hear such as “I’ll start tomorrow,” or “Maybe next month.” But let’s not make that the same case for 2025, shall we? The time has come to dream big for 2025 (or at least to write New Year’s resolutions we can actually keep). If you’re tired of being stuck in the “same resolution, different year” loop, we’re here to help. Let’s foolproof those goals, so come December 31, 2025, you get to write new, New Year’s resolutions since you managed to accomplish what you set out to do at the beginning of the year. Set Goals You Can Actually Do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Muj-k7_umZA The Office | Dunder Mifflin Ruins Pam’s New Year’s Resolution Board Let’s start with the obvious one: don’t set yourself up for failure. If you’re planning on giving up sweets completely but live near a bakery, we’ve got news for you: your resolve might not be as strong as you think by February when the bakery next door starts baking every pastry with chocolates for Valentine’s Day. Aim for goals that are both ambitious and doable. Say you’re giving up sweets during the weekdays and you can only eat desserts during weekends. This goal is measurable, and achievable, and won’t send you to the office pantry to take sugar packets because you’re craving something sweet. Ditch the Vague Stuff for your New Year’s Resolutions Stop writing your list with “In 2025, I will be a better person.” Not only is this vague, but it’s also not actionable. You can make it more specific and write, “In 2025, I will be a better friend.” With this, you know how you can achieve it by being available to that one friend who needs a life coach because of their dating history or that one extremely introverted friend: you know the one, where it’s up to you to drag them out of their house for some Vitamin D and fresh air. Don’t Forget About Having Fun One of the reasons why we fail with our New Year’s resolutions is that we forget to factor in fun and entertainment. If we’re having fun, it’s easier to stick to our resolutions because it doesn’t feel like we’re working towards improving ourselves. Our resolutions shouldn’t feel like a punishment or a chore because guess what? No one likes chores. The key to success in 2025 is combining your resolutions with joy. Is that possible? Absolutely. Instead of “Go to the gym to get fit,” try “Take bungee jumping aerobics once a week” or any physical activity that’s fun for you and that will also keep you healthy. You’re more likely to stick with something if you’re actually excited about it. Break Big Goals into Mini-Milestones If you have big goals, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and discouraged because you feel it's an undertaking that’s impossible to achieve. If you want to become a morning person, instead of writing, “Wake up at 6:00 AM every day,” try breaking it down into manageable steps. Start with 8:00 AM first, then work your way backward when you’re already used to waking up at 8:00 AM without feeling like you want to throw your phone when the alarm goes off. This way, you’re easing into your New Year's resolutions instead of forcing yourself into it. Bonus tip: Track your progress! There’s something incredibly satisfying about checking off mini-goals. In this post from Inc. the science explains how our brains are more likely to choose “instant gratification over long-term goals.” So, break those goals into bite-sized chunks, it will keep you more motivated. Choose an Accountability Partner Do you have that one friend who promises to join you in your resolution to “read more in 2025” and then immediately encourages you to get a subscription to Hulu? Don’t be that friend, or at least don’t choose that friend to be your accountability partner. Share your resolutions with people who won’t let you off the hook because having someone who encourages (cough, nags) you makes it a whole lot easier. You can even make money off of it and bet with your friend or accountability partner, who can keep their resolutions until the end of the year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLPdxz2wioA The New Year's Resolution Bet | Max Get Creative with Your Resolutions Do something unexpected with your resolutions, like “Try a new hobby every month” or “Face one fear every month.” These types of resolutions are an adventure (not to mention fun, unless, of course, your one fear you want to face next month is swimming with sharks) and can help you grow in ways that are more exciting than “save $5,000” which you can get creative with and say, “Go somewhere I’ve never been” and use the money you saved. Life’s too short to live inside a box, especially when you’re gearing up to a better and more improved version of yourself this coming 2025. Now, go ahead and write down your resolutions —and for once, let’s keep them beyond February!