5 Tips for Setting New Years Resolutions You Can Actually Keep
Category: Misc.
Make your New Years resolutions attainable, sustainable, and great for your mental health.
Topic Of Discussion
‘Tis the season! You’ve eaten all the junk food you can handle, the out-of-town family has finally flown home, and you’re ready to get off the couch and make some resolutions for 2025…
…that even you know you’ll be lucky to keep until the Super Bowl rolls around.
You’re not alone. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Read on for tips to making resolutions that you’ll be celebrating your success with by the time you ring in 2026!
1. Start small
Maybe you want to trade your plastic grocery bags for tote bags. Or stop throwing tea bags in the sink when you could toss them straight in the trash instead. Start with a small, everyday switch that’ll be easy for you to maintain with just a little intention, determination, and desire.
2. Consider what you’re already accomplishing
What did you accomplish in 2024 that you just want to keep up? No matter how small, there’s certainly something! (Not sure? Try a mindfulness practice like journaling to zero-in on your achievements this year and celebrate yourself!)
3. Prioritize progress
Related to celebrating your accomplishments from last year: not every resolution can be completed in one year. Arguably, a lot of the biggest ones just can’t be! Make resolutions to make progress, and make plans to track your growth along the way. Sometimes, milestones matter more than crossing the finish line.
4. Consider your values
Still stuck? Try a values exercise and list out the values you most want to focus on in 2025. Keep it simple, and stick to single words. (Think: “family,” “faith,” “fun,” etc.) Focusing on values can not only help with making resolutions for the coming year but also keeping them. Values drive you towards desire and help you to push aside any “cans” and “shoulds” that might be keeping you from accomplishing the things you actually want to accomplish.
5. Mental health matters most
Making resolutions with tangible results – you know…the kind that you want all your Facebook friends to see the pictures of – can be tempting. The truth is, those kinds of goals can often be difficult to achieve without focusing first on your mental health. Whether it be with talk therapy, meditation, or any mix of mindfulness practices, making some resolutions focused on your mental health just might make your other resolutions that much more achievable.
Wrapping it up
No matter what your resolutions are, our therapists at Tri-Star Counseling are here to offer support if you need help making, keeping, or reflecting on them. Happy New Year!
