Health Matters: Sticking To Your New Year’s Resolution

An Essentia Health Psychologist Suggests An Approach To Making Positive Change

Whether it’s going to the gym more often or cutting out certain foods, the beginning of the year is the time people make New Year’s resolutions.

Often times, that inspiration can go away if you get off track.

When it’s the start of a new year, it feels like a chance to start fresh.

There are countless resolutions people make, and many times, you may not even realize how hard you’re making it for yourself to succeed.

A psychologist  at Essentia Health gives a different approach on working toward positive changes.

We’re all familiar with New Year’s resolutions such as losing a certain amount of weight or making a pledge to eat healthy.

“That’s just a recipe for falling off that wagon,” said Dr. Jo Ellison, who is a Licensed Psychologist with Essentia Health.

Rather than counting numbers on the scale or following a strict diet, Dr. Jo Ellison suggests choosing a positive statement to follow in the New Year.

“You can see the changes in different ways rather than just looking to one metric to decide whether or not you’re meeting your goals,” said Ellison.

Dr. Ellison says people should take small steps under the guidance of your positive phrase.

But remember, she says big lifestyle changes don’t happen overnight.

For example, if the goal is to go to the gym four times a week, start with going once a week.

“Work your way up over the course of the year to what you’re wanting to do.” said Ellison. “And it’s not intentionally to slow you down but it’s so you don’t give up if you aren’t meeting your goal in the first two weeks of the New Year.”

Dr. Ellison said people often give up because the bar is set too high.

This year, set goals that allow for celebration.

“Feeling proud of yourself continually over the course of the year, rather than ‘I didn’t meet my end goal immediately,” Ellison said.

She said people who remind themselves of that positive phrase can help themselves stay on track and commit to the changes they want to see.

“Even if it’s a Post–It Note on your mirror in the bathroom, or something like that in the bathroom that can help you re–orient every day,” Ellison said.

Dr. Ellison said examples of positive notes are using phrases with the words “healthier”, “happier”, “peaceful”, or really just anything you want to live by.