How to make resolutions last

Village Network Regional Clinical Director Christopher Doud suggests health-focused New Year’s resolutions that will benefit someone both physically and mentally.
THE NEW year is a time for people to make resolutions about things they are determined to do, whether that be reading more or eating healthier.
But a lot of the time, New Year’s resolutions don’t last.
Resolutions can fall by the wayside because people tend to start something new, whether that be exercising more or getting into different and new activities, said Christopher Doud, licensed clinical counselor and Village Network regional clinical director.
He said people’s brains are not geared to do new things.
“We get stuck in our old patterns, and we tend to fall back into old ways of doing things,” he said. “That makes it really hard for us, because again, we have a pattern of living. People are creatures of habit.”
He noted that changing those dynamics within one’s own system can be really hard.
Although many people don’t stick to their New Year’s resolutions, people have a desire to be better, according to Doud. People want to improve.
“We have this pull in us that says that we can be better, and many times if we’re making those efforts, or at least suggesting that this might be a thing that I would like to do, it can placate us a little bit to say, ‘OK, I’m trying.'”
Doud does not believe lack of motivation plays a factor in why resolutions don’t last.
Instead, he thinks people’s goals are just too vague. He said the desire to be better might not be clear enough or people might expect too much of themselves.
Doud suggested rather than identifying a general goal, such as exercising more, to make the goal more specific. People can opt for setting a goal such as exercising three times a week for 30 minutes a day.
“Making the goal a little bit more specific and measurable is more effective,” he said.
He noted that a lofty goal, such as saying one will exercise every day for two hours a day, is going to be too much.
People should have smart goals, he said, making them specific, measurable and achievable.
They can decide on a goal that is relevant to them and set a timeline that is specifically established for when it will be completed.
Doud also emphasized that people should be forgiving of themselves, recognizing they’re not going to do something perfectly the first time. Goals take time and practice to work through and become a regular habit.
Those making resolutions are creating something new and different with their lives, which is not what the brain is used to, so consistently practicing the new activity will be more effective, according to Doud.
Doud said to try not to expect too much right off the bat. Sometimes starting slow, such as doing 15 minutes of exercise a day instead of 30 minutes, is a better approach.
A health-focused resolution is ideal, as it improves one’s physical health and has a positive impact on them mentally, Doud said. If someone is going to run for 20 minutes a day, it is going to increase their cardiovascular capabilities and blood flow, which will make the person feel good when their body creates endorphins as a result.
Doud reinforced how important it is to make smart goals that are specific, measurable, achievable and have a specific timeline of when it can be achieved and to not expect perfection.
“It’s always good to improve ourselves,” Doud said. “We as a species are designed to go one step further. We’re curious. We want to do new things so that we can feel like we’ve got something worth working for.”