Stop me if this sounds familiar:

On January 1st, you start thinking about all the changes you want to make for the year ahead. You set goals and actually work towards them for a few weeks. Then life gets in the way and come February you are back to where you started.

Unfortunately this is all too common, but it doesn’t have to be! There are several things you can do to increase your chance of success and actually stick with your New Year’s resolution(s) this year.

First, create a goal that is REALISTIC.

You are only setting yourself up for failure if you set unrealistic goals. Even though you may feel extra motivated in January to go to the gym every single day, this is not realistic for most people and not sustainable. Instead, set a goal that you can realistically achieve, even if it’s only doing something once a week.

Second, set a goal that is SPECIFIC and MEASURABLE.

I often hear people make resolutions to “drink less soda” or “eat more fruits and vegetables.” While these are great in theory, they are vague and there is nothing to measure. Instead, set goals that are as specific as possible and include a measurement that you can track. For example, rather than drink less soda, set a goal to drink no more than X cans of soda per week. Rather than eat more fruits and vegetables, set a goal to eat at least X servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Listed below are a few more examples of specific and measurable New Year’s resolutions. Notice how they all include numbers – there is no grey area as to whether or not these goals were met. You either read for 15 minutes today or you didn’t.

This year I’m going to ___________

• Read 15 minutes every day.
• Meditate 10 minutes a day.
• Drink at least 64 ounces of water each day.
• Exercise 3 days a week.
• Write 2 Thank You cards a week.

After you’ve set realistic goals that are specific and measurable, PUT IT IN WRITING.

Studies have shown that people who simply write down their goals are more likely to achieve them.

Once you’ve written down your goals, you need a way to KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PROGRESS and stay accountable.

There is nothing wrong with traditional pen and paper, but there are also many apps on the market that track goals. The app I use is called Way of Life and the concept is so simple. It reminds me every day to log whether or not I achieved my goals. Then based on my data it creates bar graphs and pie charts to illustrate my progress. The app itself is free, but you can upgrade if you want to remove ads and track more than 3 goals. I highly recommend it! Nothing motivates me more than seeing my progress week to week. Plus, it keeps me accountable because I know every night at 9 pm it will remind me to update my journal.

Last but certainly not least, CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS.

Whether it’s a trip to Reverie Roasters for your favorite latte or a manicure/pedicure, reward yourself every so often for all your hard work. Or perhaps for every week that you achieve your goal, set aside $10.00 to spend on whatever you want. After 10 weeks of successes, you’ll have $100.00 set aside to spend on those boots you’ve been eyeing without feeling guilty. You earned it!

Good luck with your New Year’s Resolutions – may 2016 be your best year yet!