Do you have trouble keeping your New Year’s resolutions? You are not alone. Most people who make resolutions fail to keep them. Here are 10 ways to make sure you join the hygiene group that keeps their New Year’s resolutions — or any changes in your life.
1. Make resolutions you care about. Be certain the change you want to make really matters to you, and that it is not just something you think you “should” do.
2. Be specific and concrete. Not “I want to lose weight” but “I want to lose five pounds by March 15.” State your goals in measurable and attainable terms.
3. Make the time. If you want to exercise three times a week, write the dates and times in your calendar.
4. Easy does it. Start slowly. Do not expect to run a marathon by February if you cannot make six miles now.
5. Do it differently. If you have made the same old resolution for 10 years and never been able to keep it, do something different this time. If nothing changes, nothing changes.
6. Accentuate the positive. Better to say what you can do rather than what you cannot. Instead of “no fatty foods,” say “nonfat milk and fruit for dessert.”
7. Start over if you need to. Do not let a slip cause you to quit the whole program. Like the song says, “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again”.
8. Share your resolutions with a friend. It is easier to exercise with a friend, join the RDH eVillage and or RDHmagazine Facebook groups. In addition, colleagues can be found on the PennWell community site.
9. Believe in yourself. Use positive self-talk, affirmations, encouraging notes on the bathroom mirror.
10. Celebrate your successes. Congratulate and reward yourself.
