Written by Raina Hawthorne
Registered Physiotherapist
Are you setting some resolutions for the New Year? Because I am.
I've noticed that New Year's Resolutions have become a bit of a joke - the assumption seems to be that we won't continue whatever new goal we start on. However, there isn't anything wrong with using the new year as jumping off point. As Katy Milkman shared on The Happiness Lab podcast, "if you don't pursue a goal, you can't achieve a goal".
So if you're feeling motivated to set a goal, go for it! Just make sure to use the right tools to keep that resolution going! (Keep reading for suggestions.)
Before I had kids I did yoga regularly and loved headstands. Last year, after falling out of practice for a few years, I wanted to be able to do a free-standing headstand again. I practiced at home for a while but didn't keep it up long. Fortunately, I was introduced to the book Atomic Habits and discovered lots of helpful tips.
In the book, James Clear highlights the importance of making identity-based habits and creating systems which really hit home for me. He also lays out 4 laws of behaviour change with lots of specific tools so I highly recommend checking out his book.
 After reading Atomic Habits, I reframed my goal to "I want to be someone who does yoga regularly" and set a goal of 3 minutes of yoga every day. This may not sound like much, but as James Clear points out, we need to have a habit first before we can scale it up. Every time I did my 3 minutes of yoga I was able to celebrate completing my goal and eventually build up time. I'm proud to say that although I don't do yoga daily now, I can do a free-standing headstand again!
But sometimes, despite our best effort, we don't succeed with our habits as we'd like. As a Physiotherapist, I've noticed some things that can get in the way. These include: Whether or not we believe the action will actually help us achieve our goal. Because why would we commit our precious time to something we don't actually believe will be helpful? And feelings of guilt or shame about taking time for our own habits. This sometimes hides as not having time to do things but needs to be tackled differently!
So if you're struggling to maintain your new habits, even with the right strategies, take some time to reflect and see if there is a deeper reason holding you back.
If you're motivated to set new goals this year, here are some tips to get started:
Choose a habit based on an identity you want to build
ie- "I want to be the kind of person who exercises every day"
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Pick actions for your habit that work for you
Think of exercises that you enjoy. There are so many different, wonderful ways to move our bodies! And if exercise isn't your favourite thing, pair it with something else that feels more fun. (Watching your guilty pleasure TV show while riding a stationary bike is a great option!)
Start small and celebrate!
Make the goal to do your new habit/exercise for even just a few minutes every day and celebrate every time you do. Slowly add time once it feels like a habitual part of your life.
Get ahead of potential roadblocks
Spend some time reflecting on how you feel about making/taking that time for yourself. Consider writing out the reasons why it's important to make time for yourself and your new habit.
Learn some new tools and build motivation
Check out the books, podcasts, and other resources from people like James Clear and Katy Milkman who have gone deep to discover the best ways to change behaviour.
New Year's Resolutions may feel like a cliche but theres no reason this year can't be the start of a great new habit rather than a short-lived attempt. Take advantage of the motivation that comes with the new year and pair it with some great tools to build new, helpful systems into your life!
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