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01.05.21 | Community

Sticking To Your New Year’s Resolutions

Just when you think the hard part is done — deciding on New Year’s resolutions — the clock strikes midnight and it’s time to follow through. You’re not alone, though. We all struggle to stick with our New Year’s resolutions. And luckily, with determination and the right strategy, you can keep your resolutions alive far past January’s gym membership. Here’s just a few helpful tips:

Make Incremental Goals

We often struggle to keep resolutions because they’re simply too daunting. A big-picture goal like “eat healthier” is much easier to tackle when broken down into small, digestible actions. Try making incremental goals, such as “include veggies in one meal per day.” This way, you have a tangible action to work towards, and once the action is completed, a victory to celebrate, too.

Utilize Your Support System

Whether it’s an accountability buddy or just a loved one lending an ear, sharing your successes and struggles is an important part of the journey. Having a support system means others are there to share motivation and advice along the way, as well as helping to hold you accountable.

Practice Patience + Forgiveness

Of course nobody is perfect. There will be days where your resolution falls to the wayside, and that’s okay, too. It’s important to practice patience and forgiveness, and not to beat yourself up for an off day (or two). Ups and downs are just a part of the journey. Studies even confirm: those who succeed in sticking with their resolutions actually slip up an average of 14 times.

Take Time to Reflect

Throughout the year, remember to take a step back and reflect. What made you choose this resolution in the first place? What does achieving this goal mean to you? Moments of meditation and mindfulness such as these help us realign with our own wants and desires.

Keeping resolutions, like making any change occur, isn’t an overnight affair. But with the right approach, you’ll be able to stick to your goals all through 2021.

A pink planner with 2021 emblazoned on its cover in gold, next to an assortment of pens, notebooks and other desk supplies

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12.28.20 | Community

The Importance of Practicing Gratitude

Gratitude is both a way of thinking and a way of doing. By definition, it’s the quality of being thankful, as well as the readiness and willingness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. And by practicing gratitude, we open ourselves up to being more connected, more happy and more healthy.

Finding the Good

According to American psychologist Robert Emmons, there are two parts to gratitude. Firstly, it’s “an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits we’ve received,” he says. While this doesn’t overwrite challenges or frustrations in our lives, it allows us to look at our lives wholly and to always find balance and goodness. Finding good in the world helps us to feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, deal with adversity and even improve mental and physical health.

Becoming More Connected

Secondly, says Emmons, “we recognize that the sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves…. We acknowledge that other people—or even higher powers, if you’re of a spiritual mindset—gave us many gifts, big and small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives.” In this way, Emmons describes gratitude as a “relationship-strengthening emotion, because it requires us to see how we’ve been supported and affirmed by other people.” Therefore, practicing gratitude allows us to feel more connected with our surroundings, whether that be nature, our spirituality or the people in our lives. This in turn leads to stronger, more positive relationships.

Practicing Gratitude

So how do we cultivate and strengthen our practice of gratitude?

First, we must notice our surroundings. What or who makes you feel good? This reflection can happen in-the-moment throughout your daily experiences, or later when you have a private moment to yourself for meditation. Many experts recommend keeping a gratitude journal and regularly listing things you’re grateful for.

Savor and absorb the things for which you’re grateful. Once you acknowledge the good things in your life, make sure you enjoy those experiences to the fullest and treat them with the utmost appreciation.

And finally, express your gratitude. Happiness is best when shared — and everyone likes to feel appreciated. Take the time to write a thank you note or voice your gratitude verbally.

We all experience gratitude, but taking the time to acknowledge the feeling and become more intentional with how we engage with it and share with others will make all the difference in the world.