Rethinking Resolutions: Four attainable goals for an improved 2023

The second full week in January is often referred to as “Quitter’s Week.” This is when most people who have set New Year’s Resolutions end up giving up.

But don’t fret. Often New Year’s resolutions are destined to fail. The majority of them, by nature, are founded in their unattainability.

The hard reset and refresh button on January 1st might seem like a wise idea, but habits are notoriously difficult to break. Instead of bulldozing your old lifestyle to start anew, it is better to see yourself as a modest fixer upper. It is far less daunting to make subtle improvements over time than to rebuild from scratch.

Knowing this, goal setting becomes less of a sprint and more of a marathon. Here are four achievable steps to some of the most popular resolutions.

Resolution: Exercise more

Instead: Move more. We all would like to up our gym attendance in 2023. But that is always easier said than done. So instead, try to add more movement to your day. This can be as simple as choosing the more distant parking space. By adding extra minutes of movement to your day you will adding an extra bit of activity that you likely won’t even account for, which over time will begin to add up.

Resolution: Eat healthier

Instead: Drink more water. Numerous studies link dehydration to food cravings. While this isn’t open season to eat only junk food, one of the easiest steps in improving your diet, doesn’t even involve your food choices. By adequately hydrating each day, not only will your body feel fuller but cravings for salty and sugary foods tend to decrease dramatically.

Resolution: Take up a new hobby

Instead: Limit screen time. The endless scroll. Be it Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or the Netflix options, tons of time is spent scrolling. Even if it is as little as a 30-minute window, take a break from your devices. What you do with that extra time is up to you, maybe you read a book, go outside, you may even gravitate to a new hobby with the extra time.

Resolution: Keep your home spotless

Instead: Get more organized. Not everything needs to be immaculate. Tidying up and organizing your space can be done in small steps, not all cleaning has to be a 6 hour affair.

Resolution: Read X amount of books

Instead: Read 10 pages a day. Setting a small, obtainable goal is the first step to forming a habit. Once you get in the habit of reading 10 pages a day, you will be able to set a realistic goal of how many books you’d like to read this year.