With a new year comes new beginnings, right? That's the motto at our drug and alcohol treatment center in Wilmington NC.
Everyone has heard of making New Year’s resolutions but who is still following through with those resolutions as the year continues? Research compiled by The University of Scranton states that just eight percent of people are actually successful in completing their New Year’s goals and only 46 percent of people who made resolutions are still following through with them past the first six months of the year. Even though these numbers aren’t very high, there’s still hope that your resolutions can be accomplished. From staying aware of your goals to daily habits that push you in the right direction, there are steps that can be taken to ensure you are successful in your resolutions.
Let’s take a look at eight ways to make successful New Year’s resolutions. If you have a drug addiction of any kind, be sure to call Legacy Freedom for help in 2017. We're the top drug and alcohol treatment center in Wilmington NC. We offer affordable drug treatment for the New Year.
Making Successful New Year’s Resolutions
1. Be realistic.
This first step may seem odd, but don’t be overconfident when making resolutions. The idea of making a positive change for yourself and having a fresh, new year to work on it sounds so tempting that people tend to be over ambitious in their goals. When this happens, unrealistic goals are set which leads to failing to follow through and that failure can actually do more damage to a person than what they were resolving to fix.
For example, if you have been eating unhealthy for the last year and you want to get in better shape, don’t tell yourself you’re going to go to the gym every day for two hours and eat a raw, organic diet if that’s something you’ve never done before. Instead resolve that you’re going to pick one day a week to go to the gym and cook more meals at home instead of eating fast food, then slowly build from there. You will have the same outcome but without the added stress of trying to tackle too much at once.
2. Set clear goals.
Don’t be vague with your resolution. Decide what your ultimate goal is and then figure out the steps you need to take to get there. If your resolution is to take better care of yourself, figure out if you mean by eating healthier or exercising more or by not drinking as much, for example. If you’re always aware of your end goal, it will make getting there much easier.
3. Have someone help you.
After you come up with a realistic and specific resolution, let a friend or a loved one know. Asking someone to help you is a smart decision because they will hold you accountable when you don’t want to do it for yourself. If you resolve to not smoke cigarettes anymore, it will be a lot easier to ensure you make it through the beginning days of cravings if someone else knows you’re trying to quit.
4. Make time for your resolutions.
How many times in your life have you heard someone say, “There just isn’t enough time in the day for me to do that?" Your time is what you make it. In order to maintain a productive and healthy lifestyle, you have to devote your time to what matters. If your New Year’s resolution is to spend more time with your loved ones, build it into your schedule. Perhaps invest in a daily planner to remind yourself of upcoming events and to better help divide your time.
5. Set small goals.
You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you do something that you know is good for you? Whether it’s waking up early to get to work on time all week, or eating some fruit instead of a bowl of ice cream, your body responds when you do something positive. This is also true when working towards your New Year’s resolutions.
While keeping your intent in mind, find little ways to work towards accomplishing those bigger goals. For example, if you made your New Year’s resolution to lose weight, try finding little things you can do throughout each day to help with that. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and pack your own lunch as opposed to eating out.
6. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Most New Year’s resolutions are made in an attempt to break a bad habit. When trying to break a bad habit, willpower is the key factor. You have to power through the hard days when it would just be much easier to smoke that cigarette or to eat that junk food.
However, if you do slip up and smoke a cigarette after a stressful day at work, or you eat too many cookies after dinner, don’t beat yourself up over it. This is the perfect opportunity to remind yourself of all the great things you have accomplished. One slip up doesn’t do away with how hard you worked towards a goal, just don’t let it be an excuse to quit trying.
7. Stay positive.
If you do end up slipping up, like mentioned above, it’s okay. You hold the power to decide what you will do after that. For instance, if you go out to dinner with a friend and break your diet, don’t think “Well, I already failed, I might as well just eat the rest of the pie I have at home.” Instead, acknowledge the mistake you made and continue on the path to accomplishing your resolution.
8. Track your progress.
Start out by writing your resolution down and then continue to track the work you put into accomplishing your resolution. Whether you want to save more money or lose 30 pounds, having a visual representation of your progress will help you stay motivated. This can also help you figure out what to do if you become stuck in making more progress.
The new year brings many opportunities for making positive lifestyle changes. Deciding on a resolution is easy but actually following through with it is when it becomes a little more difficult. However difficult maintaining your New Year’s resolution may be, it is not impossible. Remember to pick one clear and definite goal, write it down, and keep track of the progress you make. Ask a friend or a loved one to help keep you accountable and remember to stay positive about your self and all the progress you have made.
Quality 2017 Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center in Wilmington NC | Legacy Freedom
If you think you are in too deep with a substance abuse problem, give us a call for help in 2017. Legacy Freedom of Wilmington is here to help. We provide you with the tools you need to have a successful New Year recovery from drugs or alcohol. We know that one method doesn’t work for everyone, so we create a plan based on your needs. Our treatment is not like any other and we have the success rates to prove it. Call us today to speak with an admissions counselor about how our drug and alcohol treatment center in Wilmington NC can help you in 2017.
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