Keeping Resolutions

Make resolutions an everyday thing

Several years ago I decided that new day resolutions were far more reasonable than ones renewed only on an annual basis.  

Knowing that most new year resolutions are never kept, it’s funny to me how many people continue to go through the motions of making new ones every January 1^st only to feel let down by themselves shortly after.

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One of my friends went through this exercise recently, hurriedly trying to decide what her resolutions would be. She’d changed them over and over looking for just the right one.  Finally, I asked her what would happen if she failed on all of her resolutions. She responded “well, if I pick a few at least one of them will happen.” That left wondering what the buy-in was to the resolutions in the first place.

Why keep resolutions?

Traditionally, people get very lost in what they should do, need to do, should not do and historically have done throughout the holidays. Holiday gift giving and buying gets so much media hype, people eventually begin buying into the hysteria as if they somehow are inadequate when they don’t. 

Resolutions are talked about on all of the television shows to the point it makes people begin to think about the year in review and if they’d only done that “one thing” how life may have changed. This type of subliminal messaging affects us even when we think we are strong enough to not let it do so.

Some thoughts about keeping resolutions

A few points to ponder are:

• Do you have a compelling need to accomplish anything in particular?
• Are the resolutions you make realistic, too big, too small?
• Do you have what you NEED to make the resolutions stick?
• What will happen if you don’t keep these “resolutions” as you call them?
• Why do you only feel the need to make these changes once a year?
• How many years have you had the same resolutions that haven’t worked?
• Would getting a coach help you to become unstuck in the same resolution habit year after year?

Most people desire to change SOMETHING in their life. We want to change things for the better. We want to feel better, look better, have better relationships, find better ways to build wealth and so on.

The issue is we often lack the stick-to-itiveness to do so and the support needed to keep us on the right path. No one wants to stay miserable, lonely (big difference between lonely and alone), in financial ruins, unhealthy etc.  It seems we just get “in that place” and once we are there it isn’t easy to get out.

No circumstances are completely unique to us even though our feelings about them are.  Everyone has that one or two things they struggle with in life and we often suffer in silence.  We feel like no one goes through it the way we do, and that’s simply not true. 

Some have money but are in a relationship rut. Others have great relationships but are unfulfilled in other ways. We are human and the long and short of it is that life isn’t always easy though some pretend as if it is.

Better ways to start keeping resolutions

Here are some ways to get going on making better resolutions :

• Stop calling them resolutions and deem them as obtainable, compelling GOALS for YOU.
• Remember resolutions are typically what claim to be resolved to simply do without a real plan.
• Understand goals are what we work toward, plan along the way and factor in shortcomings that we continue to work through to get there.
• Be willing to accept that change is not easy and you will falter, but commit to getting back up – FORGIVE YOURSELF.
• Set up your encouragement team.
• Know that goals can and will change, but it’s the positive growth on the journey  that matters.

You are amazing all by yourself and whether it’s the same resolutions you’ve had for years or a completely new set, it is with good intention that you desire change.

No one is perfect and just as you accomplished other goals in life it may take time but you will accomplish these as well if your need or desire to do so is compelling enough.

Why Feeling Unmotivated Isn’t a Character Flaw

One of the biggest misconceptions about change is that motivation is supposed to be steady. It isn’t. Motivation rises and falls based on energy, stress, season of life, health, and emotional load. When it dips, many people interpret that as a personal failure rather than a human response.

Feeling unmotivated doesn’t mean you don’t care. It often means you’ve been carrying too much, asking too much of yourself, or trying to force change in a way that doesn’t fit your real life. Consistency doesn’t come from feeling inspired every day; it comes from continuing even when the feeling isn’t there, and from adjusting expectations when life shifts.

Shame is usually what stops progress, not lack of willpower. When we label ourselves as lazy, undisciplined, or broken, we make change heavier than it needs to be. A compassionate approach recognizes that faltering is part of the process, not proof that the process is wrong. Motivation is a helpful companion, but it was never meant to be the engine.

If You’ve Tried Before, You’re Not Behind

Trying again isn’t a sign that something is wrong with you. It’s a sign that something in you still believes change is possible. Every attempt you’ve made—even the ones that didn’t last—taught you something about what works, what doesn’t, and what you actually need.

Progress isn’t erased because you paused, restarted, or changed direction. Life doesn’t move in clean lines, and growth rarely happens all at once. Often, what looks like “starting over” is really continuing with more awareness than before.

If you’ve had the same resolution more than once, it doesn’t mean you failed. It means the desire is still alive. And that matters. Hope shows up quietly, not in dramatic breakthroughs, but in the simple decision to try again. You’re not behind—you’re still in motion, even if the pace looks different than you expected.

Want to try this at home? No worries! Download a copy of our SMART Goals PDF Worksheet.