How to Decide on a New Year’s Resolution

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Plus, popular New Year’s resolutions to help narrow down your list

Co-authored by Susan Pazak, PhD and Aimee Payne, MFA

Last Updated: January 8, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Choosing Realistic New Year’s Resolutions
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• Making Resolutions Stick
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• Popular Resolutions
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• Do resolutions work?
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• How does change happen?
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• Video
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• Q&A
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• Tips
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• Warnings

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Are you interested in making a New Year’s resolution that’s realistic…but aren’t sure which one to pick that you can stick with the whole year? If so, you aren't alone! Choosing a New Year's resolution that you'll actually commit to can be challenging, but we talked to experts to help you find one that's right for you. Plus, we found the top New Year's resolutions to make it easier to narrow down your choices. Happy New Year!

Picking Realistic New Year’s Resolutions: Quick Tips

1. List out any new changes you’d like to make in your life.
2. Pick 1-2 changes that are most important to you.
3. Choose specific goals so you can measure your progress.
4. Be honest with yourself and keep your resolutions achievable.
5. Break big changes into smaller steps.

Steps

Section 1 of 5:

Choosing Realistic New Year’s Resolutions

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1. 1
   Brainstorm a list of changes you’d like to make in your life. Sit down with a piece of paper and a pencil and brainstorm ideas for changes you would love to make. Don’t think too hard about it. Just jot down the first things that come to your mind without deciding whether they’re doable or not. Or, try making a mindmap by writing “New Year’s Resolutions” in the center of your paper and filling the space with related ideas.

   • It may help to give yourself a set time limit to keep you from thinking too hard about any one idea.
   • Writing something like “Ideas for New Year’s Resolutions” at the top of the page can help you focus and get in the right mindset.
   • Try to write down as many ideas as you can in 15 minutes.
2. 2
   Commit to 1-2 of the highest-priority changes on your list. Look at your list of brainstormed ideas and start to prioritize the ones that are most important to you. Sort them into categories like “most important,” “important,” and “least important.” Then, take the “most important” category and put the ideas in order from most to least important. Choose only the top 1-2 changes to make into your resolutions.

   • Be ruthless when you narrow your list down. Limiting yourself to 1-2 resolutions allows you to really focus on them.
   • Remember, you don’t have to change everything at once when setting goals for the year.
   • If you pick too many goals, you may set yourself up to fail when you notice how much work you have to do to achieve them all.
   • Write your resolutions down to make them more concrete.
   • Tell your friends and family what your resolution is for the year.
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3. 3
   Choose resolutions that are challenging but not exhausting. Try to set goals that are a little challenging but still possible when you take your current situation and limitations into account. This means being honest with yourself about what you can realistically fit into your life.

   • You may have good intentions to work out every day, but if you don’t currently have a regular workout schedule and you already have a full schedule, it may not be attainable.
   • Avoid choosing a goal you’ve failed in the past.
   • To revive a failed resolution, think about why you failed in the past and adjust the goal to make it more doable.
4. 4
   Pick a goal that matches your interests and values. Life coach Sydney Axelrod says, “Get clear on what it is that you actually want from your goals. I think it's really important to [not just] set goals but also get clear on what's your ‘why’ behind the goal. Choose a resolution that inspires you or sparks your interest to learn or do more and get closer to your ideal self.

   • Select a resolution that helps you grow as a person.
   • Think about your passions or the types of things you’re naturally drawn to.
   • Ask yourself what you want to contribute to make the world a better place.
5. 5
   Be as specific as possible with your goals. Vague resolutions like “save more money” or “lose weight” make it hard to measure your progress. It’s also difficult to know what exact steps you need to take to get there. Use more specific language when you set your goals to give yourself a clear target to shoot for. Axelrod recommends getting really specific and clear on what you're going to do and why you're going to do it. Ask yourself 3 questions. “What will I do?” “When will I do it?” “How will I know I’m done?”

   • Instead of saying, “I want to lose weight,” say, “I want to lose an average of 1 pound a week.”
   • Research exactly what steps you need to take if you want to accomplish the goal of losing an average of 1 pound a week.
   • A specific goal like “lose an average of 1 pound a week” is easy to measure because you know whether you did it or not.
   • Focus on changing 1 behavior at a time. For example, with the goal of “lose an average of 1 pound a week,” you could decide that you want to increase your activity level by walking 30 minutes per day.
6. 6
   Break up your resolution into manageable steps. Life coach Amber Rosenberg says, “Humans, by nature, have a short-term focus and work better with small steps…The positive feedback from small, daily successes will create motivation and—eventually—lead to lasting, balanced change.” Once you have a resolution in mind, ask yourself what steps you must take to reach the larger goal. Then, write out an action plan for what each step is and when you want to complete it.

   • Make each step easy to achieve. This is especially important at the beginning of the process, when it’s often the hardest to get motivated.
   • Set realistic deadlines for each step toward your resolution. It takes time to make meaningful changes.
   • Get out a calendar and write out your plan for each mini-goal.
   • Remember that making meaningful changes to your life takes time, sometimes even longer than a year.
   EXPERT TIP

   

   Sydney Axelrod

   Certified Life Coach

   Sydney Axelrod is a certified life coach and the owner of Sydney Axelrod LLC, a life coaching business focused on professional and personal development. Through one-on-one coaching, digital courses, and group workshops, Sydney works with clients to discover their purpose, navigate life transitions, and set and accomplish goals. Sydney has over 1,000 hours of relevant coaching certifications and holds a BBA in Marketing and Finance from Emory University.

   

   Sydney Axelrod
   Certified Life Coach

   You don't have to change everything for everything to change. Many people end up suffering because they set enormous goals and then they don't meet them. They get discouraged and give up. Setting small goals is way more motivating, builds confidence, and is much more sustainable in the long term.
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Section 2 of 5:

Making Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick

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1. 1
   Find a resolution buddy to support you. It’s much easier to stay motivated and overcome any obstacles if you have a friend to support you. Accountability is very helpful in keeping resolutions, says licensed clinical psychologist Susan Pazak. So, finding a resolution buddy also helps you stay accountable. Working toward your goal with a buddy might even be fun!

   • Talk about your resolutions and ask your friends about theirs and you may find a resolution buddy who is ready to get started!
   • If you can’t find a buddy in your friend circle, try joining a local club or online group of people who have similar goals.
   • Try to find a resolution buddy who’s just a little closer to their goal to help challenge you to step up your game.
   • For example, if your goal is to run a marathon, find someone who can make it just a block or two farther than you.
2. 2
   Use reminders to help you stay accountable. It’s easy to let your resolutions slide if you have other responsibilities and commitments. Set up a system of reminders to help you stay on track. Your system can be as sophisticated as setting up alerts on your phone or computer…or as simple as a note stuck to your bathroom mirror. The important thing is that it works for you.

   • Use that calendar to give yourself reminders to help you stay on track.
   • Add your resolution steps to your daily “to-do” list.
   • Use objects associated with your goal to keep it top of mind.
   • For example, if your resolution is to go for a 15-minute jog at lunch, put your running shoes in front of your door so you remember to take them with you.
3. 3
   Track your progress with a journal or log. A bad day or setback can make it feel like you haven’t made any progress toward your resolution. Rosenberg says, “Create a simple chart, diagram, or collage that will help you to gauge your progress one day at a time. Simply refer to this tool at the beginning and end of each week and month to review how far you've come.”

   • Keep a daily journal dedicated to your resolutions, or use a habit-tracking app. On days when you feel like you’re not moving forward, use your log to see how far you’ve come!
   • For example, if you’ve made a resolution to read 20 minutes a day, find an app that helps you keep track of the time you spend reading.
   • Try a generic habit-tracking journal or apps if you can’t find one specifically for your goal.
4. 4
   Reward yourself for each step or mini-goal you complete. Treat yourself whenever you complete a milestone or one of the steps toward your resolution. Give yourself rewards you truly enjoy, so it really feels like you’re giving yourself a pat on the back for all your hard work. Try planning out a reward to celebrate each step to keep you motivated and excited as you move closer to your goal. Rewards might include:

   • A long, hot bubble bath
   • A game night with friends
   • Browsing for a new book
   • Going to a concert
   • A video game break
   • Watching a movie
5. 5
   Be flexible and take time to make your resolution a routine. “On average, it takes 21 days to create a new habit. When you first get started, it will take more time and energy to focus on your daily goal,” says Rosenberg. After that 21 days, you may find you need to adjust your goal. You might have made progress faster than expected or need a little more time to get to the next step. Both of those situations are perfectly fine! Use your experience to adjust your resolution and action plan to get back on track.

   • You don’t have to be perfect 100% of the time to make progress.
   • Give yourself a little grace if you have a setback, like catching a cold…or even if you just feel like skipping a day.
   • It’s completely normal to have days—or even weeks—when you just don’t have the energy. Don’t let that discourage you, though.
   • Remember, it’s only a failure if you quit forever. So, keep going. You got this!
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Section 3 of 5:

Most Popular New Year’s Resolutions

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1. Most people focus on resolutions to improve their health. About 30% of Americans say they make at least one resolution a year usually having to do with improving their health, exercise, or diet. “At the beginning of each year, I tend to hear from many folks that they want to lose weight, get fit and create more organization,” says Rosenberg. Other popular New Year’s resolutions include:

   • Eat healthier
   • Exercise more
   • Learn something new
   • Read more
   • Spend more time with family
   • Pay down debts
   • Spend more time with friends and family
   • Get a new job
   • Manage stress
   • Better work-life balance
   • Quit smoking or vaping.
   • Make a budget and save money

Section 4 of 5:

Do New Year’s resolutions work?

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1. Yes, New Year’s resolutions work even when you don’t keep them. Most people say they keep at least some of the resolutions they make. One survey found that 35% of people stuck to all of their goals, and 50% kept some of their goals. So, the good news is that you’ll probably make positive changes in your life even if you don’t keep your New Year’s resolutions. It’s trying that counts.

   • Picking up a new habit is often easier than dropping an old one. If you want to stop doing something, create a new habit to take its place.
   • Instead of saying you want to stop vaping, set a goal to pick up a new hobby that needs your attention and requires you to use your hands, like knitting or painting miniatures.
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Section 5 of 5:

How does change happen?

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1. Changing your behavior comes from a series of psychological stages. These stages, called the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change, were developed by James O. Prochaska and Carlo Di Clemente in 1977. It sounds complicated, but it really is a simple list of stages that describe how ready a person is to make a change in their life. Understanding the stages may help you get an idea of where you are in the process and what you need to do to move forward. The stages include:

   • Precontemplation: The person has not acknowledged they have a problem they want to change.
   • Contemplation: They know there’s a problem, but they aren’t ready or lack confidence to do anything about it.
   • Preparation/Determination: The person has decided they want to make the change and is preparing to do something.
   • Action/Willpower: They begin taking steps to change their behavior.
   • Maintenance: The person has changed their behavior and is maintaining that change.

Community Q&A

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• Question

  I am undisciplined, but my resolution is to be more mature. Any helpful tips?

  

  Community Answer

  Possible resolutions include reading a certain number of books, learning to do a handstand, being organized and helping more.

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• Question

  My resolution this year is to buy land worth 20 million Uganda shillings. What are some of the things i should stop doing to make my goal by October 2024?

  

  Aakarsh

  Community Answer

  Save more and spend less. Focus on needs instead of wants. Once you buy your land you can buy your needs. Be sure to keep a finance journal.

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  What if I have many resolutions but need to address them all at once?

  

  Community Answer

  Divide your year into parts. Say you have 5 goals/resolutions for the year. Divide your year into 5 parts, and devote each part to one of your goals.

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Tips

• You can talk with a counselor to help develop a clear plan for your resolution. Having someone to help you with accountability can make a difference, says Pazak.
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• Don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t making progress as fast as you’d like. Making mistakes is normal. Stay positive, and stick with it!
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• Reward yourself for achieving subgoals.
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Warnings

• Don’t default to cliche New Year’s resolutions. Think outside the box to find something that’s deeply meaningful to you.
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