We’ve come to this point again. The beloved tradition that allows people the opportunity to change their lives, re-invent themselves, and start fresh: New Year’s resolutions. In the flurry of the monumental moment when that ball drops, fireworks are exploding, people are making out, and the alcohol has you feeling invincible-you make a vow to yourself, like this year I’ll ask my crush out.
Whatever your resolution may be, by the time classes start back up and life gets real again the buzz wears off and the high of the moment is gone. With that high goes any ounce of motivation you had to stick to your promise. Then another year flies by without that goal anywhere in sight, and you’re doing it all again.
If that sounds anything like you, don’t worry. College Magazine has the steps you can take to finally resolve that NYE resolution.
Make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.
You know what your resolution is by now. It’s been burning in the back of your mind for quite some time now, and it’s about time you decide to tackle it. If it’s not something you are serious about, don’t hold your breath. The most important first step is to be honest with yourself. Why haven’t you been able to take care of this problem before now? What makes now any different than before? Clearly, you need to try something new.
“I want to have fun and explore new sex positions with my boyfriend!” –Gilda, George Mason University
Get out of your comfort zone, and get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
In order to get yourself to try something new, you have to step outside your comfort zone. Keep in mind that, if the things you normally do on a daily basis were the right steps, you’d already have what you want. So that means something has to change and you have to take a risk. We’re creatures of habit so it’s easy to get stuck in a routine, but that routine will just keep taking you in circles. But if you make a habit of doing things you may be a bit uncomfortable with, you’ll find that it’ll become easier to change things up.
Keep a journal/blog.
It’s a lot easier to stick to things and remember them when they’re written down. Keep a journal or a blog to track your progress, so you know that what you’re doing is working. When you feel you’ve made progress, that’s great motivation to keep going. On the blog you have something that other people can see and this may even motivate them to join you. It’ll also obligate you to keep going because you don’t want to look like a quitter, do you?
“I want to be happy in my relationships, so if I’m unhappy in any of my relationships, I want to commit to figuring out the problem and fixing it.”– Meagan, University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Pace yourself.
Take baby steps. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. You’re not perfect, and you’re going to screw up sometimes. Don’t let that throw you off. You’re not going to reach your goal overnight. A good idea may be to track milestones or make short-term goals that’ll lead you to the long-term goal.
Surround yourself with people who are going to encourage you.
It’s key to note that the company you keep is a direct reflection of the person you are. If they are negative and bring you down, they’ll drag you down with them and you’ll never accomplish your goals. You want friends who believe in you and hold you accountable if you drop the ball along the way. It’s also nice to be around like-minded people, perhaps people who are trying to reach the same goal as you. For example, if your friend is finally trying to ask out their crush this year, you can frequent the right places together and encourage them to do it. Hey, you may even be able to wing them.
Don’t forget that, while sticking to these steps will help you reach your goal, none of them will matter if you can’t be accountable for yourself. We’re all adults now and have to rely on ourselves to reach our own goals. The most important factor is that you are the ultimate decider of whether or not you’ll be successful.
