The Truth About New Years Resolutions

It’s mid January – a time when holidays are ending and we are getting back to the office and back to life.  It’s the time when good intention for New Year’s resolutions fade. If you’re full of hope that this year will be different than the last, and you will kick every goal on the list – then it’s time to get real.

“Every year around 40 per cent of Australians write down their New Year’s resolutions, yet only around 12 per cent actually stick to them,” says psychologist Ms Jocelyn Brewer.

Jocelyn points out that the reason most resolutions fail is that we need the tools to turn them from simple ‘wishes’ into actual achievements. “As with making a recipe for the first time, you’d check you have the tools and ingredients to make it work before you start.  In the same way, you have to become skilled in cooking up a delicious life.”

Here are Jocelyn’s top tips on making new years resolutions that work:

1. Ingredients – rather than list the final goal, start with a list of ingredients, ie steps required to make the changes that lead to the final goal.  Eg, if the goal is ‘lose weight’, then list how you will change your diet and exercise program to achieve this goal.

2. Once more with feeling – tune into the feeling you have when you visualise your goal, eg ‘joyful’, ‘free’, ‘energised’.  Tapping into feelings will help you visualise your goal and bring it to fruition.

3. Practice makes perfect – it’s worth taking the time to plot, plan and prepare.  Taking time to review and reflect on the past can help you frame what you want to achieve in the future.

4. Review – be prepared to review your goals along the way.  Goals can be refined as situations or circumstances change.  It’s OK to learn as you go and allow yourself to review and modify your goals along the way.

5. Write it down – the simple act of handwriting your goals is an empowering approach to framing your tasks in an action orientated way and will help you enjoy a sense of achievement as tasks are completed.

Frixion Pens are a great tool to get you started on achieving your New Year’s Resolutions.  They contain thermo-sensitive ink which disappears via friction when rubbed out with the built-in eraser.  Kick your goals into touch by rubbing them out one by one as you have achieved them!   Available in all major retailers, newsagents and stationery suppliers nationally. Visit: www.pilotpen.com.au

Jocelyn Brewer is a psychologist and educator with twelve years experience in private practice, teaching, child counselling and educational development.  Visit: www.jocelynbrewer.com.