Here we are.  May 2022.  Nearly half-way through the new year. Many of us find the transition from one year to the next as an opportunity to reflect, reset, and refocus and to set goals for growth in the new year. Along with that often comes many health and wellness goals.

Sadly, research shows us that a substantial proportion of goals are abandoned by February. If you often find yourself in this camp, you may be wondering what’s keeping you back from making progress. Here are 3 key reasons why you aren’t meeting your New Year’s goals. Read the tips below and honestly assess yourself to see if any of these factors are true for you.

1. You bite off more than you can chew! The transition into the New Year is for many a magical time where your motivation is high, and you are optimist-even idealistic-about the future. You are ready for change and ready to make this next year the best that’s yet to be. Although this feels great, it can often lead you to setting too many or too large of goals.  You set unrealistic expectations for yourself, and even if you did meet these goals, any notion of sustainability is out the window.  And if your changes cannot be sustained, what’s the point in making them in the first place?
2. You are making changes for someone else! Losing weight because your doctor wants you to? Exercising more because your spouse wants you to? Working on stress management because your boss asked you to? How many of your New Year’s resolutions are based on the wants and needs of somebody else? Now, you may be wanting those things, too, but your main ‘why’ for change is better off coming from you if you want lasting change.  So, spend some time thinking about goals that are important to you and why.
3. You didn’t address last year’s barriers! We all face a variety of barriers to our personal growth and development, whether it be physical barriers or mindset barriers. And even though the transition between December 31^st and January 1^st can feel monumental, the reality is that for many of us, not a lot actually changes.  We still face the same challenges that we battled with in the past year. Perhaps you deal with lack of time for meal planning or lack of energy for physical activity. If we don’t identify and address these barriers, we will continue to struggle with progress and growth with our goals for the New Year.

Ready to give those New Year’s goals another try? Remember, keep your goals simple and realistic. Try to avoid the “all or nothing” mentally that tells you “I am either completely changing everything or I change nothing” and instead focus on small changes that you can make time and time again. Focus on the changes that mean the most to you and not to someone else. And don’t fall under the impression that somehow last year’s problems sort themselves out. Take an honest look at your barriers and challenges and develop a plan to tackle them.

May 2022 be your year-a year of small and consistent wins and lasting success!

ABOUT
McKenzie Johnson, RDN MJohnson18@billingsclinic.org

McKenzie Johnson, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist with the Billings Clinic Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism Center. View all posts by McKenzie Johnson, RDN