5 Resolutions You Can Actually Keep!

It's that time of year when we all make a pact with ourselves to lose weight or get on a budget—though sometimes our intentions are greater than our actual follow through.

The good news: contrary to popular opinion, more than 40% of New Year’s resolvers are successful six months later.
The surprising news: Willpower has little to do with success. It all comes down to setting realistic goals, having a specific game plan that provides measurable results, and anticipating slip ups by having rebound strategies ready.

Want to make resolutions you can keep? Try these suggestions from John C. Norcross, Ph.D., author of Changeology: 5 Steps to Realizing Your Goals and Resolutions.

You love talking to your grandkids, so make an appointment with them and with yourself to call them for a two- to- five minute conversation, depending on their age. Ask about their lives and listen, listen, listen.

Even grandparents who hate to talk on the phone can do it for a few minutes once they determine a time that works for everyone. What does making this resolution do for you? It makes you feel connected to your grandkids, says Dr. Norcross, and makes your grandkids feel special because they get to talk about their favorite subject—themselves—to a truly interested audience—you.

You want to get involved and help someone, somewhere, but you're not sure what volunteer opportunity is right for you. Instead of leaping in head-first with a charity, test-drive one new volunteer activity every week or two. Maybe you enjoy reading to kindergarteners or cooking for the local community center. Maybe not. The beauty of this resolution is that you commit to a one (maybe two)-shot trial rather than jumping in to a year-long commitment you end up quitting. Even if it takes a few months to find the right volunteering fit, you’ve still done good for others along the way.

This is by far the most popular resolution people make. The key here is to take it off, and keep it off for three months.

Let's start with the worst-case scenario: At the slowest rate, you only have to lose half a pound to one pound a month. That's 30 days to lose not very much weight. You can do that! Once you get started, you'll build momentum. At its fastest, you can probably take off all the pounds in two months. And it probably involves fairly easy solutions. (You know where you overdo it!) If you already eat a fairly sensible diet, just add more exercise. If you don't exercise at all, talk to your doctor about starting.

Why the three-month plan? In the resolution-keeping game, says Dr. Norcross, it takes 90 days to solidify a new behavior—like switching out that evening bowl of chips for air-popped popcorn.

You're probably knee-deep in holiday credit-card bills about now. So it's the time to make a simple plan for the year. Make a list of everyone to whom you give holiday and birthday gifts. Add up the number of gifts for the year. (Example: 20 gifts total.) Divide the total amount you’re comfortable spending by the number of gifts. ($600 divided by 20 gifts equals $30 per gift.) You don’t have to spend equally (some may get more than $30, some, less), but with a little planning, you won’t go into “Why did I spend so much?” mode and have bills you dread.

Okay, the spoiling part isn’t hard, but, guess what? Neither is asking permission first. Failing to check with your adult kids can create conflict—spoken or unspoken. So, before you buy that life-sized stuffed zebra or take kids to that movie they've been dying to see, all you have to do is stop a minute and ask if it’s okay. And remember: kids always sense tension, even when adults think they’ve covered their tracks.

When you slip up, get back in the saddle. Successful resolvers don’t see a lapse as a reason to quit but rather a chance to recommit. As you succeed, be sure to reward yourself. A massage, a special outing with the grandkids, even a piece of cheesecake, at certain milestones, beats the heck out of deprivation every time.