***Sticky New Year's Resolutions

New Year’s is the worst time to make New Year’s resolutions. Why?

1. Many of us stay up too late, drink too much, eat too much, and watch too much TV--not an optimal frame of mind for follow through.
2. We are most likely to make changes when life events create leverage (e.g., new health challenges, a job change, divorce). New Year’s Day is an arbitrary day with no leverage.
3. People typically set goals that are too high, e.g., get physically fit vs. a baby step such as adding five minutes of stretching at least five times a week.
4. People typically set rigid goals, e.g., deciding to exercise sixty minutes every day and upon missing a day giving up in “failure.”

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make New Year’s resolutions. Rather, make sticky New Year’s resolutions. Sticky resolutions are easy to make and easy to keep. Most of the Anti-Aging ABCs and the 52 baby steps are sticky as they are “belief tweaks.”

Examples include resolving:
~ that no matter how old you are you will be making new friends (a great way to feel optimistic about aging).
~ to always bring something with you to read in case you find yourself waiting (prevents boredom and enhances learning).
~ to do your best to make someone smile or laugh each morning (post a reminder somewhere to remind you until it becomes a habit).
~ to routinely take the stairs at work instead of the elevator (takes no time to help you stay fit and loses weight).

Notice these are small, easy to do steps. New Year’s is a lousy time for the usual resolutions but a great time for sticky resolutions.