Define Your New Year’s Resolutions

Lose 20 pounds. Save more money. Worry less and enjoy life more. These are some of the most common goals Americans have vowed to accomplish this year. The act of making New Year’s resolutions are ingrained in the holiday itself and has been a tradition for thousands of years. Resolutions give people a chance to define what they’d like to change in the coming year; however, many Americans are giving up on the practice, losing out on the opportunity to make positive changes.

Accomplish your goals by clearly defining your resolutions.

Four percent less Americans plan to make New Year’s resolutions this year than last year, citing their failure to keep them as the reason, according to the Marist Institute for Public Opinion.

Resolutions are easy to make, but many find them hard to keep since they fail to plan how to accomplish their goals. For instance, it’s easy to say, “I’m going to improve my finances” – which is the No. 2 most common resolution Americans made this year – but much harder to implement.

Instead of being passive, be firm in your resolve to improve your finances! Begin by sitting down and looking at the areas that need work, so you can make a plan. Do you want to reduce your debt? Improve your savings? Learn how to invest? Clarifying your exact needs will help you define your goals and make progress.

Take small steps. Rather than trying to accomplish your lofty goals all at once, accept that these things take time. Be patient and find refuge in the time you spend seeking to accomplish your goal. Remember how important this is to you! Maintain small changes over the course of a few weeks, and in time, you will see a large payoff.