It’s already February, and you’re wondering whether or not it’s worth it to keep on trying to uphold your New Years Resolution. It could be a hobby, a skill you want to learn, or anything you want to see or do. These resolutions are popularly known for not being followed up with. The phrase “I’m going to work out this year!” is commonplace at the start of the year, followed up by gym memberships cancelled mid-February. This is a guide on how to stick with your New Year’s Resolutions with ease. Gaiam, a mental and physical wellness company, agrees with my picks for some of the best ways to keep your New Years’ resolutions.

1: Write it down

     Writing down any goal is a perfect way to start your resolution off right. When you write it down, you can actually see exactly what you are thinking. Being able to physically see your goals is an excellent way to keep yourself motivated. According to an article from Thrive Global, it is statistically proven that people who write down their goals are more likely to be successful in achieving said goals. A Harvard Business Study found that only three percent of people write down their goals although writing anything down makes people remember those things better.

     “I think that writing goals down is like making a promise to yourself, and it makes the goal more real and tangible, rather than just an idea in your head,” Luke O’Leary ‘21 said.

2:  Break your goal into smaller steps

     Having a massive overall goal for the year can be daunting. It can be like a towering shadow looming over you, and the weight on your shoulders to try and stay with your goal can sometimes be too much. If that’s the way you’re feeling, break down your goal into smaller, simpler steps. When you complete those small steps that lead up to your end goal, the sense of completion and accomplishment that comes with them makes you feel like you can keep going and completing more of those steps. Once you reach your end goal, it won’t feel like the same massive thing you felt before finishing all the small steps.

      “I try to break my goals down into smaller, more achievable goals, and it makes it a lot easier to achieve and strive for that one big goal,” Aidan Chung ‘21 said.

3: Track your progress

     Sometimes, keeping track of your goals is difficult, but there are many ways you can track your progress and how you’re doing. Although keeping a mental note may seem like the best and easiest route, it often doesn’t get done what needs to be done. Using your phone is one of the best ways to keep track of anything, including goals. There are apps made specifically for tracking habits and goals, and they can help remind and push you to succeed in completing them.

“Using apps like Google Drive is a great way to map and track progress on goals,” Ash Bhoopathy ‘21 said.