After setting goals for herself and seeing them through, junior Asha Corcoran has started off the new year feeling more healthy and energized than ever, thanks to her resolutions.
When the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, the thought of a fresh start motivates people worldwide. For most people, that motivation peters out quickly. A CBS survey showed that most New Year’s resolutions fail sometime in the first months of the new year, with only one percent lasting eleven or twelve months.
However, several Arcata High and Six Rivers students are committed to seeing their goals through and have steps for how they (and you) can make them happen.
- Find a community
Corcoran resolved to eat fewer processed foods, and she has come up with strategies to stay motivated toward her goal. She considers cultures around the world and takes inspiration from their routines.
“In Europe, their biggest meal is in the middle of the day instead of here where it’s at night,” Corcoran said. “See if you can find people with similar resolutions.”
Wherever in the world you are, having a community of people who share your interests and support your goals can help you stay inspired.
- Make a plan
After finding others who have accomplished what you aim to do, Corcoran recommended making a simple plan, mapping out what you want to do and what you’re looking to avoid.
New routines can be buried easily in the chaos of a new year. Utilizing planners and the reminders app, and setting aside time daily are all strategies that can help you stay organized.
Junior Sofia Flores recommended setting aside as little as fifteen minutes every day to work on what you’ve set your mind to. From there, “It really only takes a few times to make a habit,” Flores said.
- Take it in phases
Flores also suggested taking your goals week by week. Creating a new habit with the expectation to stick to it for 365 days straight can feel overwhelming and impossible.
Instead, start small. “If you can do it every day for a week, you can do it every day for a month,” Flores said.
Finally, it’s important to remember that you don’t need to wait on a specific date to make your goals happen. Setting unrealistic expectations and relying on an initial burst of motivation is a rarely successful strategy.
In reality, “you just have to decide to make that change,” Flores said.
Whatever the date, it’s not too late to make a resolution.
