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January 2010 New Year's Resolutions: How To Make Them So You Can Keep Them This will be the fourth year in a row Betty has made a New Year's Resolution to exercise more. She's also vowed to lose weight (an annual resolution since 1996), and to finally start that novel (this one goes all the way back to the 80s.) Like two out of every five Americans, Betty begins every new year with stout resolve and good intentions. But like most who make New Year's Resolutions, by the time the spring fashions hit the shop windows, all that resolve has gone the way of last year's colors. No exercise program. No weight loss and, sadly, no novel. Not even a beginning chapter. What goes wrong? Betty's problem and the difficulty most people face in keeping their resolutions is that changing behavior involves more than simply vowing to do so. A lot more. So, whether you want to do more or less of something, quit something altogether or start something new, here are a few tips that can help. 1. Be sure the change you vow to make is something you really want, not just something you think you should do or something you're doing for someone else. Altering habits is hard work; if you're not going after something you really want, you set yourself up for failure. 2. Be specific. Instead of vowing to "lose weight," be specific. For example, a resolution might be to lose five pounds by March 15. Vague words like "more," "better" or "less" don't give you a toehold to measure against. State your goal in incremental, measurable, specific terms. Be certain it's attainable, too. To go from a sitting position to running a marathon in six weeks may be too long a distance to travel in that short a time. 3. Accentuate the positive. When you just say no, you're reminding yourself of what you can't have or can't do. Instead of saying "no fatty foods," say "nonfat milk and fruits for dessert." Instead of saying "I can't smoke," try "I'm choosing a smoke-free lifestyle." 4. Believe in yourself. Positive self-talk, affirmations and encouragement really do help. Even if you fail the first time, it doesn't mean you're doomed to failure. Like the song says, "Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again." Be easy on yourself if you lapse. Change is often a two steps forward, one step back process. 5. Easy does it. Set your goals in short, manageable steps rather than one giant leap. Start off slowly: go to the gym twice a week instead of four times; walk a block instead of a mile; begin with a low-fat breakfast, in a few weeks you can tackle lunch, after that, dinner. It is important to note that a resolution can be made on any day, not just at the start of a new year. Realizing this can relieve self-blame if New Years' Resolutions aren't kept. Each day can be viewed as a new beginning and an opportunity for new growth and success. We wish you the very best in this new year. To your success!Author's content used under license, © 2008 Claire Communications Psychology News In Brief A study at the University of Bergen in Norway finds that people with depression have a similar mortality rate than that of smokers. 60,000 people were included in the study which was reported in the British Journal of Psychiatry. However, the research showed that depression coupled with anxiety reduced the mortality rate. It is believed by the researchers that "anxiety might prompt people to seek help when they need it." (From Monitor on Psychology, January 2010). "We cannot find the light until we acknowledge the darkness. This is called owning." ~Mina Parker "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." ~Leonardo da Vinci "You can have anything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want." ~Zig Ziglar Programs to Help You In addition to the traditional counseling services we provide, Clinical Psychology Associates also offers a variety of other services, including free screenings, free consultations and a therapist blog. For a full listing of our services, please visit our website at www.clinical-psychology-associates.com. To read more about these therapists and their specialty areas, please visit their profiles on our website at www.clinical-psychology-associates.com. Please feel free to email or call any of them to arrange an appointment. Email consultations are welcome also. THERAPIST BLOG About Clinical Psychology Associates Clinical Psychology Associates is a state-certified outpatient
counseling center providing a high level of care to its clients
for over 25 years. To read previous editions of this newsletter, please visit our archived newsletter section on our website at: http://www.clinical-psychology-associates.com/newsletter.htm Written by Gary Breuer, MA, LPC |
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Psychology Associates State Certified Clinic 262.251.1112 |