8 reasons people quit on their new years’ resolutions
every year without fail, more then 1 million americans strive to achieve short & long term resolutions starting on the infamous january 1st. These goals can be related to fitness, mental health, body awareness and nutritional habits. Some can even be preventative like to quit or cut back on drinking and or smoking.
Do you ever wonder why people … or even ourselves, quit before we reach these goals? Here’s why:
loss of focus
many times our resolutions (goals) are placed firmly on the back burner. this can happen because of a loss in reasoning with why the goal was set in the first place. It’s very important no matter which category our resolutions fall under, that we keep in mind our reason WHY. focusing on the why can be more powerful than the “how to”.
tip: write down your why, and look at it daily!
loss of motivation
the most common way to lose motivation is when we stop seeing results. results are reassuring and can propel us into the right directions keeping our heads in the game. it’s very important to understand that results are beyond physical. if you’re on a weight loss journey, can you track your consistency? are your clothes fitting you better? are you more mindful during eating times?
tip: find any results to keep you motivated to keep going. staying around a group of positive people is another great way to stay dialed in to crush your goals!
lack of consistency
we hear this all the time “consistency is key” and it’s more than true! a lot of times we are very relaxed and graceful with our level of consistency. this simply means how often we show up. if you set a goal to show up daily or every other day, show up! don’t change your frequency.
tip: hire a coach to keep you accountable to show up. some days are hard, but having a coach by your side and help you push through those tough days.
change in priorities
sometimes on our journey.. we take a little detour. this is fine as long as you are willing to pivot! making small changes to your goals should not dictate your willingness to show up. maybe you find out that your schedule is changing and you can no longer workout on friday anymore. or maybe you’re allergic to something in your current meal plan. don’t throw in the towel, instead plan another day/time in your week to workout or find some other foods to fill in the gaps.
tip: if you’re finding it tough to pivot, remember why you started. a small detour shouldn’t ruin your chances of success.
major life events
A death in the family. The loss of a job. The birth of a child. A new relationship. whatever life throws at you, good or bad, it’s not always easy to stay on track to accomplishing your resolution.
tip: Take these big events in stride and remember that your resolution deserves any attention you can give it. Don’t lose sight of your original goals.
forgetfulness
Sometimes people can just plain forget about their resolutions! this can be due to a busy schedule or just not being set up as well as you could be to remember your goals. If your struggle with this, it helps to write down daily, weekly or monthly goals somewhere, and to keep it central to your routine.
tip: Set reminders on your phone or write it on your bathroom mirror—whatever it takes to keep your goal top-of-mind. look at these goals daily so you don’t lose sight.
no support system
if you think you can do this on your own, you’re wrong! everyone needs a strong and encouraging support system to get behind them, especially on the hard days. daily/weekly interactions like chatting, laughing and crushing a quick workout is an incurable way to use your support system in your favor!
tip: surround yourself with people that want to see you win and help keep you on track!
mental health
our mental state can be a heavy weight on our shoulders. this can cause us to lose sight of our goals, lose motivation to show up or just make is difficult to try. keeping ourselves in a positive mental state takes daily practice and is very important to help us achieve our goals. if you find if hard to regulate your mental state, it’s worth shifting your focus here.
tip: talk with a coach, a therapist, someone that can help guide you through any tough mental space. protecting your mental health is a resolution of its own. and probably one of the most important.
