023 - What do you hope, expect and wish for this year? For many people, the turn of the year means time for change. But good intentions for the new year often fail before January is over. To help you succeed with your goals in the coming year, we have 10 tips for realistic resolutions and their implementation for you.
Many New Year's resolutions we share with friends. Classic examples are dieting after Christmas or quitting smoking. So consciously ask about others' New Year's resolutions on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. If you find someone with the same goal, you can form a team and motivate and monitor each other. Alternatively, you can find allies at the gym, at work, or online.
When it comes to New Year's resolutions, we like to think in superlatives. From couch potato to successful marathon runner or from fast food junkie to health guru. These are precisely the resolutions that are doomed to fail, because they are not realistic. Although we see such extremes in the media from time to time, for most people small goals are clearly more motivating. For example, if you want to move away from eating a lot of fast food to eating freshly prepared meals, set a goal to cook for yourself two to three times a week.
Your New Year's resolution needs to fit into your life. For example, if your goal is to have a muscular body, but you're very busy at work, a daily workout won't work for you in the long run. You need a more time-efficient solution. High intensity training (HIIT) could be an option for you. AURUM training takes you about 20 minutes a week and you can build muscle mass despite the small time commitment. You can also convert this method to other New Year's resolutions. A healthier diet can then start with a larger portion of vegetables and salad in the canteen. This doesn't require any time commitment and is still a first step in the right direction.
A simple trick to burn calories, get fitter and do something for your health is more movement in everyday life. Whenever possible, use the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. For short distances, leave the car behind and walk. Don't let small obstacles like light rain deter you, but arm yourself against them. In case of rules, an umbrella already helps. Set yourself clear rules. This could look like this:
I always take the stairs, the only exception being when I have to carry heavy groceries or the like. On Mondays, I ride my bike to work. For my weekly shopping, I take the car. But if I just have to go to the bakery or forgot something at the supermarket, I walk.
A whole year is quite long. In that time, your goals can change, but so can circumstances. What fits into your everyday life in January can be a big challenge in August. Therefore, it makes sense to set your resolutions for a shorter period of time. This could be, for example, a new or adjusted resolution every quarter. If your overriding resolution is to do something for your health, then the following resolutions are inspiration for every season: abstain from alcohol in the spring, swim 1000 meters twice a week in the outdoor pool in the summer, cook fresh food two to three times a week in the fall and in the winter you adapt the resolution from the fall and increase it to three to four times.
This way you are more flexible and at the same time you have a built-in control, because every three months you check your resolution and change it.
To make your New Year's resolutions a reality, you need a good reason. Quitting smoking just because it's your friends' resolution probably won't motivate you enough. You need your reason to motivate you, and it's completely individual. Examples are: Your health, better blood values, more fitness, desire to have children, smoke-free clothing and much more. The more precise your motivation, the better.
Write down your resolutions with the respective motivation and hang them up in a clearly visible place. This way you won't forget your goals and you can also clarify your motivation again and again. In addition, you will think much more about your New Year's resolution and find more suitable ideas for you.
Psychologists also say that the wording is crucial. So-called approach goals are significantly more successful. This means that goals that are characterized by novelty are easier to implement than a resolution that focuses on renunciation. In plain language, this means that instead of your resolution being formulated as "I'll stop doing xy.", your resolution should be formulated as "I'll start doing xy".
The point of good resolutions is not to torture you, but to change something for the better. New Year's resolutions can and should be fun, because then they are much easier for you. Your goal: Do more sports. Great, find a sport that excites and motivates you. This can be strength training at AURUM, jogging, cycling, swimming, team sports or other things that motivate you in the long term because they are fun.
The best thing to do with your resolutions is to make a plan on how to achieve them. Together with the goal, you can write down a list of ideas on how to achieve it. This way you will notice much faster if a good resolution does not fit into your everyday life. Let's stay with the example of more sports. If your list includes very time-consuming suggestions, but you are very busy in your private and professional life, then the idea probably doesn't quite fit. You could go to a high-intensity AURUM workout once a week to achieve your goal.
Every New Year's Eve, we make New Year's resolutions. Therefore, you don't have to do everything this year. Set one well thought-out resolution rather than many that you probably won't be able to accomplish at the same time. Changing habits takes a lot of time, patience and motivation, so it's best to focus on one resolution rather than failing at many.
I have a deep passion for movement and sports, and an insatiable curiosity for understanding human nature. While researching the connections between physical vitality, mental acuity, and the pursuit of longevity, I care to share valuable insights and practical tips that can easily be incorporated into our daily lives.
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