With the new year settling in, I’m sure most of us have made a list of resolutions to tackle in 2018. However, I’m also sure some of us feel as if coming up with New Years resolutions is just another way to set yourself up for a letdown. If that sounds a little like you, I’ve compiled a list of five techniques to help you stick to those resolutions, and even own them like a boss!

My first tip and this one may seem a bit obvious, is to choose resolutions that you know will benefit you. What I mean by this, is to choose resolutions that feel right. However, doing what is right is not always easy. If you are in an unhappy relationship, work on improving it or leave. Whatever benefits you. If you want to be more active or healthy, make small changes at first. Get outside more and work on portion control. You don’t have to buy a gym membership or radically change your diet. Unless it feels right. Like I said, choose what will benefit you and it will be easier to stick to it.

My second tip is to start small and work your way up. What I mean by this, is if you know you have a hard time following through on your resolutions, this year just pick one. Make sure it is one that you know you can accomplish and that it will benefit you. I love what Truth Bomb Mom had to say about resolutions. She has a hard time sticking to them (like many of us do), so she decided to start small. She sat down at the end of each day and wrote down one good thing that happened that day. No matter how long, no matter how crappy the day was. She kept a list, and at the end of the year, that list helped remind her of what a good year it was in comparison to all the negatives that could be forgotten with time.

My third tip is to be specific. Being too vague about your goals makes it easier to fail. Telling yourself, “I am going to lose weight,” or, “I want to eat healthier,” can result in not being able to track your progress properly and make you feel like giving up. Instead, try stating your goals as, “I will lose 10 pounds in 3 months,” or, “I am going to have a salad 3 times a week.” Also, it is smart to choose resolutions you know you can accomplish. That way, it will feel better to surpass your goal rather than to possibly not meet it.

My fourth tip is to keep it positive. Choose resolutions that you want to do rather than ones you don’t want to do. For example, don’t say, “I am not going to drink anymore.” Instead say, “I am going to drink one less beer/wine/cosmo/etc. a week.” This way, you are still starting small, being specific, and most importantly, avoiding putting a negative mindset on a positive goal. Our mindset and overall approach will impact how fast we meet our goal and how well we are able to tackle a resolution.

My last tip is if you have the option to tackle a resolution with a friend, or partner, or coworker, do it! Having someone else is a great motivation for days where you feel failure is imminent. It also helps hold us accountable for following through because we won’t want to let them down. Even if you don’t have someone interested in the same resolution as you, it still helps to share your resolution with somebody because the same effect could happen in a motivational sense. Even though we may not be letting someone down, we are still held accountable.

I have a few New Years resolutions myself for 2018. One is to take more time for myself each night before bed. Normally it’s just shower, teeth, bed. Now I take 30 minutes a night to make sure to wind down a bit before bed rather than rushing. The second is to be open to more opportunities. I’ve always been shy from venturing out of my comfort zone, but this year I’ve decided to be more adventurous. I also decided to make new friends, oh, and start a blog. (: The third resolution is to not be afraid to speak my mind. I’ve always been a bit of a people-pleaser, and this year I’ve decided to find my voice.

Following these tips, I feel confident I can own my resolutions like a boss, and I hope you do too! I hope I could share some knowledge on staying motivated and what I believe will help develop the ‘Professional Self.’

So let’s bring on the rest of 2018 and make it as simple as could be. Check back next Monday; my post will be about accepting and embracing yourself!