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By Lena Pearson

For the Clemmons Courier

The end of the year is here, allowing for the perfect time to kick old habits and embrace new beginnings. New Year’s resolutions are a helpful practice when looking for a change in routine, but it’s important to make the goals realistic and attainable. Resolutions can be as minor as drinking more water or getting more sleep, but they can also be long-term goals that are designed to be met by the end of the year. Not sticking to a New Year’s resolution isn’t the end of the world, but there are ways to make the life-improving aspirations more practical in order to maintain satisfaction and order as 2025 progresses.

Start small and be realistic

The first place that one may go wrong when creating their New Year’s resolutions is to form goals that are far too large or unattainable for the time being. Starting small and working your way up towards a larger goal allows for it to be met over time without the pressure of trying to meet it right away. It’s important to be realistic in your resolution making as well, ensuring that the goals are ones that will truly benefit your life and won’t require an intense amount of exertion to achieve. If you plan on getting more exercise in the new year, consider working your way up by taking a 15-minute walk each day as opposed to immediately running a mile every morning. Pacing yourself with smaller, realistic goals is crucial in actually making the changes that you set your mind to.

Create a routine

If a resolution is drastically different from one’s typical lifestyle or routine, it may be hard to implement it into your daily life. Goals are far more achievable when they are treated as a natural part of one’s day, such as staying off of electronic devices when you first wake up. It also helps if the resolutions are something enjoyable that one can look forward to or that will improve your life, even in small ways. Staying on top of your new habits by preparing ahead of time reduces the risk of skipping out for a day, and routines are benefited by actions such as packing your gym bag early, pre-making your lunch or setting alarms to ensure you go to bed at a reasonable time each night. Working towards eliminating the slight inconveniences in your life is a low-effort, naturally occurring resolution that is attainable for anyone.

Be flexible 

When it comes to the new year, failed resolutions are often one of two things: forgotten, or deemed impossible. One of the most significant factors that allows you to meet your goals is to be flexible and forgiving. It is imperative to remember that not sticking to your goals every day doesn’t mean you are a failure, but provides another opportunity for change and growth. If a resolution is broken, there is no shame in picking it up again at the beginning of the next month. Goals don’t always have to be linear as they can start and end at any point, but they should be helpful and beneficial in one’s life. Remember that if a goal isn’t met immediately, there is no need to give up, but take the time to reassess your resolutions and make any necessary changes so that they are more easily achievable the next time around.

Despite how it may seem, New Year’s resolutions aren’t the most important thing to bring into 2025 with you, but they are simply tools in navigating a whole year with endless opportunities. Resolutions, however, can lead to organization and content in one’s daily life, so consider some of these methods to achieve the goals you have in place for the new year.