7 Things To Try If You've Already Broken Your New Year's Resolution

Because I know I have!!!!

If you're reading this, you, like me, have probably already broken one or more New Year's resolutions.

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But, if the goals you set are super important to you, fear not! Through my own experiences and the experiences of others, I've realised there are some useful things to do or think about that can help you get back on track. I hope these help!

1. Be honest about your goals (and yourself), and adjust them to make them more realistic.

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I have a habit of making really lofty goals or forcing habit changes on myself I'll never keep — which is basically just setting myself up to fail. It's a much better idea to be honest with yourself about who you really are and what you really want.

For example, if you know you hate running but have a goal to run a marathon, think about: 1) Is this is a realistic goal for you — will you do the intense training required?; and 2) is this goal actually you, or is it something you just think you should do?

2. And once you've re-established your goals, think about how you actually want to go about achieving them.

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Maybe your initial goals were very broad and gave you no direction, or maybe you were actually overly specific and found what you'd created was too rigid to stick to. Everyone works differently, so find a way of goal-setting that works for you. Maybe think about a time you actually met your goal or kept a resolution and figure out why that worked that particular time!

For me, broad is better. I've always tried to make really specific goals (because that's what everyone says is best) but in reality, that level of detail often freaks me out and makes me feel tied down. I've found that having much wider goals like "focus more on health" actually motivates me more and makes me feel free enough to actually pursue them, rather than overwhelmed and anxious.

3. Think about why you may have broken your resolution and how you really feel about it, then move on.

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So I know I said broader goals make me feel more in control, but old habits die hard (ironic, right?) and so of course I tacked on a specific goal to my overall health goal, which was to not drink booze for a month (Dry January! How original!).

Last week I was having a really bad day and ended up having a glass of wine, thereby breaking this rule I set for myself. But did I need to break it in that moment? Yes. Do I regret it now? Absolutely not. Life is unpredictable, so it can be hard to stick to any routine — let alone a new one — 100% of the time. Don't beat yourself up over it if this does happen. Just accept that that's life sometimes and try to move past it.

4. And when you're ready, get back on the horse.

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It's taken me AGES to learn this (and I still struggle) but making a few mistakes along your journey doesn't mean you've fucked it all up. You just need to learn to accept that you had your moment (for a good reason or not — it doesn't really matter) and now you need to get back on track. It's been said over and over again, I know, but that doesn't make it any less true — the longer you stray from whatever it is you're trying to achieve, the more disheartened you feel and the harder it becomes to reach your goal. So get back on that horse. It's not over!

5. Find a friend with the same goal or tie your goal to something enjoyable.

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If you're struggling to keep up with a new regime, maybe it's time to include a friend or family member. Sharing a goal with someone makes it much more likely you'll stick to it, not just because you'll hold each other accountable, but because you'll enjoy the process more too.

One of my goals is to be better at tidying my room, but I find it all so tedious! However, I noticed that I could easily tidy while Skyping with some of my friends who live abroad, so now I build that into my weekly Skype sessions. This way I get something I don't want to do done, while doing something I do want to do!

6. Consider setting goals at other times of the year, rather than just at New Year's.

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A colleague and friend of mine (hi Dionne!) told me on my 31st birthday to write down all of the things I'd achieved in that year and what I would like to do before my next birthday. She said she never does New Year's resolutions because that's when everyone does it and it makes the process less personal.

I thought this was a great idea. After all, it's YOUR birthday, YOUR year, YOUR goals. Making resolutions at a time that's personally significant to you makes it more special, but it also makes it easier to focus — after all, if everyone around you in January is giving up on their resolutions, it makes it far more likely you will too.

7. Or maybe don't make a big deal out of resolutions at all.

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Think about your process and whether this really is the right thing to do for you. Do you break your resolutions every year? Do you make them because you think you should be making them? Goal-setting doesn't need to be a big deal. It doesn't need to be written down, or announced to the world, or three pages long. Your dreams, changing habits, and new experiences are all yours, so you should plan them how you like. And hell, if you like doing New Year's resolutions just for the sake of it, then screw it, that's totally fine too!