The New Year brings us a sense of new beginnings and positivity. With this fresh spirit and heightened excitement, we make a pact with ourselves, known as our New Year's Resolutions. We all have grand plans, big goals, and heights to reach. While some of us want to smash health and fitness goals, others may want to find a passion and work harder to achieve new success. This year your life can be filled with different and exciting promises for forming new habits, routines, and mindsets. The prospect of altering your life for the better is on the table. However, the hard part is to stick to your resolutions and goals for the entire year. Unfortunately, many of us have witnessed ourselves resorting to old habits sooner than we thought.

This New Year, you can focus on how to stick to your goals before you crack on!

These are our top ten tips for achieving your goals: 

1. Start small and be specific. Rather than resolving to "exercise more," try setting a particular goal such as "go to the gym three times a week." Small, specific goals are more achievable and will help you build momentum.
2. Make a plan. Set yourself up for success by figuring out exactly how you will achieve your resolution. For example, if your goal is to eat healthier, plan your meals for the week and shop accordingly.
3. Track your progress. Please keep track of your progress by writing down your goals and checking them off as you go. Documenting your progress will help you stay motivated and see how far you've come.
4. Get support. Enlist the help of friends, family, or a support group to help you stay on track. Having someone to share your journey with can make all the difference.
5. Don't beat yourself up. It's okay to slip up once in a while. Don't let setbacks discourage you – get back on track as soon as possible.
6. Celebrate your victories. Every small success is worth celebrating – it will help keep you motivated and on track.
7. Try to do only a little at a time. Changing too many habits at once can be overwhelming. Focus on one resolution at a time, and once you've achieved it, you can move on to the next.
8. Find ways to stay motivated. Whether listening to music, finding a workout buddy, or rewarding yourself when you reach a milestone, find what works for you and stick with it.
9. Keep going. It's normal to have ups and downs but don't let setbacks discourage you. Stay focused on your long-term goal and keep moving forward.
10. Be flexible. Life can get in the way, and you may need to adjust your resolution. That's okay – stay true to your overall goal, and don't give up.

While setting up resolutions and following them gives structure to your year and personal growth, understanding that you are human and liable to make mistakes is integral to the process. Sometimes we also need to remember to practise self-care in achieving goals and working hard. Just remember to take 30 minutes to an hour per day to enjoy and relax. Kick back with your favourite book, enjoy a warm bath, spend time with family or reconnect with nature and yourself. This time must be yours and could entail any activity you love to do. Give yourself breaks to keep up your energy levels high.

Strive to be consistent with your resolutions but try not to take every little deviation to heart. For example, if you eat out today, get back on track tomorrow or the day after instead of starving and skipping meals to compensate. Generating a negative image about eating out, reflecting on your daily exercise, and taking rest can frustrate you in the long run. None of us is perfect and cannot be so. Therefore, giving yourself space to breathe is necessary for any journey.

Always remember that your resolutions do not define who you are. New year Resolutions are a gentle framework for the year. While they aid your personal growth, they are not necessarily the determiners of your personality. Open your mind to change and grow differently than sticking to your resolutions. Moreover, changing your goals according to different needs and situations is a part of the process. Give yourself time and space to do what suits you the best in any case.

Whatever may come, remind yourself to focus on how you feel before anything else!

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