New Year, New Goals: How To Stick To Your 2022 Resolutions

Because it’s New Year's Eve, let's talk about New Year's resolutions. Setting goals is a great way to plan your future and grow. However, trying to change too much at once tends to result in failure, and that’s usually what happens with New Year's resolutions. People create a laundry list of every way they want to be different and everything they think they should be doing. Then we all assume that the magic of January first will help us keep up with all of these big changes. 

Here’s the thing though. January first isn’t a magical day. It’s just another tomorrow, and you aren’t going to wake up as a whole new you with different habits than what you have now. 

If you don’t already exercise every day, you aren’t going to have the motivation or time just because the calendar changed.

If you don’t already save money each month you aren’t going to start by saving 1000$ a month consistently just because you want to. You have to start by consistently making and keeping to a budget. Then you can save smaller and more realistic amounts consistently, based on your budget. Then when you know you can save 100$ a month regularly and you’re comfortable budgeting, you can keep bumping that number higher.

If you haven’t picked it up yet, the key to making New Year's resolutions work is to take baby steps. Set goals that are so small that you know you can keep them. This teaches your brain to be consistent with a totally new habit. Then after doing it for a month or two, you revise the goal as you feel fit to do a little more.

People always overestimate what they can do in a day and underestimate what they can do in a year so start small. Learn consistency with a small new habit, and you’ll be able to reach your end goal in time.

Here to help, 
Your Financially Fit Team