How realistic are New Year's Resolutions? Here's 5 top tips for success.

How many people break their New Year's Resolutions?

Are we setting ourselves up for failure when we make those New Year’s Resolutions? It seems that around 88% of people fail to achieve their goals, and by the end of February a high proportion can’t even remember what they resolved to change in their lives.  Here are the reasons why we do it and five top tips for success: ‍

Is it worth making New Year's Resolutions or will you fail to achieve your goals? The ticking of the clock into a brand-new year has always prompted people to re-invent themselves. It’s all about survival. Reflecting on what has passed encourages people to take stock of their lives and to attempt to improve their future. There’s nothing wrong with that. We all want to be healthy and happy and making resolutions is a way to gain some sort of control over whatever lies ahead. It gives us a life plan that feels comforting provided we have chosen our resolutions sensibly. ‍Choose your New Year's Resolutions carefully or you might set yourself up for failure.

Be realistic

Resolutions should be achievable as there is no benefit to be gained from setting targets that are unrealistic or out of reach. A good place to start involves other people. We depend on others for many things as humans are, by and large, social beings. The wise person knows that they receive what they give out. Therefore, treating people with kindness and friendliness is an excellent recipe for receiving goodwill. It’s a great strategy for both emotional and physical survival. What’s more, once you adopt this approach to others, it becomes second nature. In other words, you can train yourself to become a nicer person and what could be better than that? ‍The peace symbol is also known as the victory hand. Just make sure you do it the correct way round (palm facing outwards), or it becomes a rude gesture.

Here are five top tips for success that will help improve your outlook for 2019. It’s never too late to resolve for things that might lead to a better future:

‍Wipe the slate clean and make some New Year's Resolutions - here's how to do it successfully.

• KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Focus on a limited number of important goals and, most importantly, be realistic. Don’t aim to overhaul your entire life!
• Break your aims down into achievable chunks. This means you can actually hope to achieve them. For example, if you are aiming to save money, set a target that is within reach - £100 per month for six months, for example. If you want to lose weight, set a monthly target.
• Make a note of your resolutions. Make it visible paper and pen is better than digital! Place it somewhere you will notice and include a time frame for evaluating your success.
• Don’t loose heart. It doesn’t matter if you slip off the page for a while. Don’t consider it as a failure you can get back on track if you remind yourself that you are in charge. You might also want to refresh your memory regarding the reasons you made your resolutions in the first place.
• Reward yourself when you achieve your goal. A pat on the back; a treat or an outing whatever works for you.  Every success deserves a little reward and your biggest critic is yourself.

Look outside

‍There is beauty all around and we mustn't forget to bathe in the metaphorical sunshine This is a literal AND metaphorical suggestion. The natural world and appreciation of all it represents is a tremendously powerful force that we could all benefit from noticing. It’s far too easy to shut the door on nature – but it’s not good for the soul. Immerse yourself in greenery, in gardens, parks, house plants, animals and insects. Care about all living things and your life will be enhanced.

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Enjoy the outdoors. Notice plants, animals and insects. They are good for you. How often do you hear of people’s lives being ruined by their love of the natural world? Conversely, stories of lives wrecked by chemicals, computers, addiction, money and hatred are all too common. It’s a digital age but we all have a choice regarding how we spend our spare time. Bad and sad things happen but it’s how we deal with them that makes us who we are. Look outside in order to generate strength, because we can make our own good luck. Practice ‘sweeping the mind’ in order to move forward, away from sadness and disappointment. ‍

Want to feel happy? It's not a realistic choice for a New Year's Resolution, but you can take steps along the path. It’s the first month in a brand-new year and a great time to set yourself up for success. What’s more, the Chinese Year of the Pig is coming! This little piggy is associated with the ‘earthy branch’ and in Chinese culture he’s a symbol of wealth and good fortune. Enjoy. ‍ Chinese New Year happens on 5 February and the Year of the Pig is looming.  

Perfect Plants Ltd is an on-line supplier of garden plants, house plants, garden equipment, furniture and gifts for all seasons www.perfectplants.co.uk Delivery across the whole of the UK.