As the New Year approaches, you may be thinking about a New Year’s health resolution. For many, the New Year is a time to make a fresh start… rid of unhealthy habits... make changes to improve life… maybe even wipe the slate clean. It can be extremely exciting to plan a major change and make a promise to do so. Unfortunately, many of us lose our enthusiasm weeks or months later. How do you choose a resolution and successfully stick to it?

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) suggests the following tips to help families and individuals keep their resolutions for a healthy mind and healthy life:

• Try again. Everyone has made—and broken—resolutions, but that does not mean that you won’t succeed next time. Start with a positive approach and think about what disrupted your good intentions in the past. Take a positive outlook.
• Don’t make too many resolutions. Trying to eat better, exercise more, quit smoking, and reduce stress is too much to tackle at once. Pick a realistic, attainable goal with a reasonable time frame.
• Choose your own resolution. Make sure this is something that you want to accomplish for yourself and not for friends or family. When you attain the goal they will benefit from your success as well.
• Make a plan and write it down. Plan what you’d like to accomplish in three or six months. Achieving small goals over time gives you a sense of accomplishment and motivation to keep going. Writing your goals down is a good way to keep track of your progress.
• Involve friends and family. They can support your efforts and can motivate you to keep going. Setting a personal goal is not a “promise” that can never be broken. Don’t paint yourself into a corner by setting unrealistic expectations.
• Forgive yourself. If you get off track, don’t think that you failed. Review your plan and make adjustments.
• Congratulate yourself. Reward yourself when your intermediate goals or resolutions are met.