New Year's Resolutions

Dr Natalie Flatt gives us the best advice for setting and achieving New Year’s goals in 2020!

Now’s the time to create your New Year’s resolution. But did you know that less than 25% of resolutions make it past the first month? In fact, only 8% of people accomplish them. So what’s the secret to really creating new habits? People tend to make long lists of big habits they want to change, and we can overwhelm ourselves by focusing on substantial changes down the road rather than on small changes in the here and now. So here are ten ideas for making changes you can stick to.

1. Identify the habits you want to change, then prioritise. Select one habit that will be your key focus for the next few weeks. Don’t do them all at once or you’ll lose focus and willpower.

2. Visualise yourself changing. Visualisation retrains neural networking in your brain. Spend some time every day envisioning yourself with new habits. Picture yourself eating healthy foods, having the freedom from cigarettes or being confident to meet new people. 3. What are you getting out of your habit? Are you looking for comfort in sugary or fatty foods? Numbness in alcohol? Stress and anxiety reduction through nail biting or smoking? Thinking about this begins the process of ‘replacement’ habits. Next time you catch yourself not hungry but standing in front of the fridge, or reaching for a glass of wine, try a replacement behaviour. Some ideas: have a glass of water, read a chapter of a book or look up a new app.

4. Acknowledge. When you have had a successful day or week creating your new habit, acknowledge it and bring it to the conscious mind so that you can emphasise your ability to change.

5. Remove triggers. If chocolate is a trigger, throw away all your chocolate. If you crave a cigarette when you drink socially, avoid social triggers – restaurants, bars, nights out with friends. This isn’t forever – just for a while, until you feel confident that you can be around temptation.

6. Stocktake your relationships. Sometimes certain people are our triggers. We can set ourselves up for success by seeking out supportive people. When you declare your goal to someone supportive, they will be there to enquire about your progress and celebrate your wins along the way.

7. Reframe your negative self-talk. The refrain in your brain can seriously affect your default behaviours. So when you catch yourself saying, “I’m fat” or “I’m so awkward,” reframe it or redirect it. Replace it with, “I’m getting healthy, or “I’m working on growing my confidence.” Or redirect with, “But I’m working my way into a healthier lifestyle.” Judging yourself only keeps you stuck. 8. Keeping a journal each day will help you track both your good and bad days and the attached emotions. It’s a great way to reflect and problem-solve other ways you may reach your goal.

9. Take baby steps. Even if you can’t fully follow through with a new habit right away, do something small to keep yourself on track. You might want to learn to run 10km. Begin with 500 metres per day. It’s a great start and you can acknowledge that you’re on your way.

10. Accept that you will sometimes falter. We all do. Habits don’t change overnight, so don’t beat yourself up about it. Love yourself each time you do and remind yourself that you are human.

At first, all new habits seem hard. You may doubt if you’ll be able to continue in the long term. But don’t worry, these thoughts are normal. It’s a good sign that you’re making efforts and facing challenges to get what you want in life. The only way to get to Day 365 is to start with Day 1. Because you deserve it.

Dr Natalie Flatt is the co-founder of Connect Psych and Connect Wellness. She is passionate about wellness and support for all women. Dr Natalie is one of our wellbeing experts at our 2020 Gorgeous Excuse events. Check out the website for more information!