Tips for Keeping Your New Year’s Resolution in Bradenton and Sarasota

It's already December, and 2018 will be here before you know it! That can only mean it's time to start planning your New Year's resolutions. Since resolutions are most useful when you stick to them, follow these five tips to help make them successful.

1. Try Something Different

If you have tried the same resolution year after year and have never quite had success, perhaps it is time to try something new. "Eat healthier" and "lose weight" always top the list of most popular resolutions, but other common goals you may want to try include:

• Quit smoking
• Read more books
• Drink less alcohol
• Learn a new skill

Think about what you're really trying to achieve with your resolution, and consider whether there's a different way to approach it than you have in the past. For example, if you really want to live a healthier life and have resolved to eat better in the past—but to no avail—try resolving to get more sleep this year. You'll satisfy your long-term goal of better health, and you'll get to take a fresh approach to it all.

2. Be Realistic

One reason why people don't keep their resolutions is that they set their sights too high. Make sure your resolutions are realistic and achievable, and you'll have better luck. For example, if you can't currently run for more than five minutes, resolving to run a marathon by the end of 2018 is probably not realistic—but resolving to run a local 5k race in the Bradenton/Sarasota area is!

3. Identify What's Motivating You

Having a good understanding of what motivates you to set a certain resolution will help give you the willpower to achieve it. So, sit down to do some introspective thinking, and write down reasons why you should achieve this resolution. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, things that motivate you could be living longer to enjoy your grandchildren, reducing the arthritis pain in your knees and looking better in your clothing. Write down these motivations and post them on your wall where you'll see them daily.

4. Ask for Support

There will be times when you are tempted to break your resolution or give up on achieving it. Having a support system in place will help keep you on track. Share your resolution with a few friends or family members. Not only can they offer support, but you will feel more inspired to reach your goals since you won't want to let them down.

5. Set Goals Along the Way

Resolutions are easier to achieve if you break them down into steps. If your main resolution, for instance, is to run a 10-mile race, you could resolve to be able to run three miles by April, six miles by August, and 10 miles by November. Each goal you achieve will inspire you to push on toward the next one.

So, Springs residents, do you have any other tips for keeping your New Year's resolutions? Share them in the comments below!