The New Year inspires most of us to reflect on the things that was, and commit to the things that we want to be. You’ve probably drawn out your resolutions for 2024 but what you need right now is the will to see the list through the entire year. 

To help you commit to your new year’s resolution, you might want to consider the following tips:

1. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many resolutions

Keep it short and simple.  Focus on one or two realistic and doable goals for the year.  A way to pick goals that would inspire you to accomplish would be to focus on those that are most important to you.

2.     Do it slowly but surely

Commit to doing something small today, then take it one step a time the next day, and then the next.  The key is to make things manageable but be persistent in pursuing your goals. 

3.     Be open to accommodate changes in your game plan

Remember, things don’t always go the way we expect them. If your efforts are not working out, be flexible, regroup, then adjust to help you achieve your targets.

4.     Reward small gains

Keep a record of your progress toward reaching your goals. Reward yourself for your small successes as this will help you celebrate your wins and could motivate you to keep on moving forward.

5.     Pick an ally to help you move forward when you get stuck

Working on reaching a goal is always much better when you know you have someone to help you achieve them. Pick someone who can be your cheerleader, who can also be honest with you when you stray from your goals.  It doesn’t need to be just one person.  The idea is to surround yourself with people who genuinely support your goals for change.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Changes do not happen overnight so don’t be discouraged if things don’t go well at first. When you face a roadblock, what you need to do is to stop, re-group, forgive yourself, and then begin again. After all, the goal is to make every day better for yourself.

Would you like to get started on planning for your future? Learn more about Manulife Insurance Plans.