New Year’s Resolutions: Advice on How to Conquer Resolutions from Arkansas Health Network

The New Year means New Year’s resolutions for many people whether it’s to make changes, set goals or move forward in their lives.

We think if we are in control, we can accomplish the goals we set for the new year. However, if certain things are out of our control, we can often stumble and our New Year’s resolutions can fall through.

It’s important to examine why we feel the need to control. Fear can be overwhelming because we feel scared not knowing what may happen. This leads to stress and anxiety.

We all desire to be in control! For example, most people make losing weight their resolution. We try to control the situation by stocking the fridge with fruits and veggies, and tossing out the cookies in the pantry. Things are going great until they’re not. Something out of our control causes us to relapse into old habits.

We may have to go about things in a different way. That begins with asking ourselves what is truly important, and examining our hearts.

Here’s a little game that may help you better respond to these situations when they arise.

Grab a ball and toss it to one another. When it’s in your hands, state something you’d like to keep in your life and something you’d like to get rid of.

• I want to get rid of…anxiety, stress, worry, sleeplessness, bad eating habits, etc.
• I want to keep…mindfulness, journaling, exercise, meditation, support system, etc.

Remember, a bump in the road may slow us down, but we can usually find a way around it and resume our journey!