New Years Resolutions. Useful?

We all spend time at the end of yet another year, to reflect on our achievements and our disappointments. How did we go? What went well and what wasn’t so fantastic? What we wished we had done, what opportunities were lost and what mistakes we made. We consider the things we would want to change and improve, and then they become our New Year Resolutions. 31st December is full of ideas and “In the new year I’m going to …..!”  We all start with good intentions. Why don't they last?

The things that we are wanting to change, are habits. Some we are trying to get rid of and others we want to embed in our every day.  So why can’t we easily change these habits and make the new, more improved habits, stick?  Well, it’s our brain. In order to make new habits, we need to modify our neural pathways to turn the new actions into habits.  We know that this is possible because we make these pathways all the time. Unintentionally, for good and for bad! We can train our brains (it’s all about neuroplasticity), we just need to know how it works and how to go about doing it.

We store our habits in the basal ganglia area of our brain.  The more often you undertake that action, the more your brain wires it up physically.  It’s like walking through a thick forest each day.  You take that path often enough and eventually you make a designated, permanent path that then becomes easier and easier to navigate.  The path becomes so obvious, you don’t even have to think about how to navigate the bush. It’s just there! 

Literally what happens is that a specific neuronal pattern is stimulated and is strengthened in the brain every time you behave in that particular way. The more you do it, the stronger that pattern becomes until it becomes the new norm.

So how long will it take?

Research says that to change a habit you need to undertake the new action for about 66 days on average, for it to become a fixed habit.  Having said that, it is dependent on two things.  Firstly, the habit.  If it is a small habit, for example, having a glass a water on waking each day, it may not take you 66 days.  However, if it is something more difficult, for example running 5 kms each morning when you have never run before, that may take you longer for it to become a habit.  Secondly, it depends on you! How’s your willpower? What is your general stickability like? How easily are you distracted? Are you stubborn and persistent?  These things can determine the time you need to take, to make behaviours into permanent habits.

With our New Year’s Resolutions, enthusiasm is not the problem. We all start off totally enthusiastic that this is the year to get fit, stop smoking, lose weight, spend more time with the family, spend less etc.  Also knowing WHAT to do is also not an issue.  We are all ready with the plans and ideas, and we’re set to go.  Committing is the problem!  Many of us don’t have the commitment, consistency and patience to get those actions into habits! Maybe, if we had the knowledge of how habits are formed and a little bit more of a structure to understand the things that will stop us, we may be more successful.

What do we need to do?  

·      Firstly - seize the day!  Grab that enthusiasm and use it to get a structure happening!  This is when you are most motivated, so get a plan in place.

·      Consider what will stop you. Write down those hurdles and put things in place to deal with those hurdles when they arrive.  Because they will!

·      Commit to baby steps.  It doesn’t matter if you only do your activity for five minutes – you are still walking that path through the forest! If you can convince yourself to do it just for 5 minutes, that’s worth a celebration! 

·      Gather your tribe around you to be your cheer squad.  Use them to keep you on track and accountable.

·      Celebrate the little wins. One week, two week etc. Give yourself a reward and remind yourself constantly why you’re doing this. 

·      Choose small habits in order to create the big ones. For example I’m going to go to the Gym once per week for 30 minutes. When you meet that goal, celebrate and make a new goal of twice per week! 

·      Write down how good it feels when you achieve the goals.

·      It’s going to take you around 66 days to develop that permanent path. Accept that and plan for it.

·      If you fail – it’s ok! Just get back on the horse and try again!  It’s up to you!

Now here is my best tip ……… attach the action you want to make a habit, to a current habit. It will act as a trigger to perform the new habit! So if you want to develop a habit of doing sit-ups every morning, attach it to your current morning routine. Get up, have cereal for breakfast (current habit) after you do your sit-ups (new habit). Believe me, this will be your favourite habit forming hack!!

Hopefully with this new knowledge you will be able to stick to your New Years resolutions and be able to say on 31st December 2020, yes, I achieved my goals!

Go you!!