As it nears the end of February, I think it’s fairly safe to say that many New Year’s resolutions are fizzling- or have already fizzled- out. No big deal; it happens more often than not. According to the Medical Center at the University of Rochester, only 9% of people maintain their resolutions throughout the year.
When people give up, they tend to take it as a hit, assuming they just didn’t try hard enough. But, in reality, not accomplishing their resolutions usually has nothing to do with them.
Most often, their chosen goal was too big and unrealistic, meaning they were doomed to fail before they even began.
Much like we set goals for the day when we wake up in the morning, setting smaller, achievable goals for shorter periods of time can make all the difference in achieving them. For example, what do you want to accomplish this month? Next month? By mid-spring?
The acronym “SMARTER” can also be a big help.
“SMARTER” goals are:
S= Specific
M= Measurable or Meaningful
A= Attainable or Achievable
R= Realistic or Relevant
T= Time-Bound
E= Evaluated
R= Revised
Another way to stick to your resolutions- my personal favorite- is to keep your motivation fresh. Infusing some good old-fashioned fun in the process doesn’t hurt either. So whether you could use a simple motivational boost or a complete redo or are simply looking for some enjoyable ways to make yourself even better than you already are, check out some tips and tricks I’ve found.
What Are You Looking To Improve?
Resolutions vary greatly. I’m focusing on the ones that fall into 5 general categories: physical, mental, emotional, financial, and social. There are plenty of options for each, so check out which ones resonate.
Finding Motivation for Self-Improvement Goals
Tips, resources, and more to motivate you to reach your self-improvement goals.
Physical Goals – Health, Fitness, & Sleep
Is your goal to eat healthier? Try a food tracker app. MyFitnessPal will do all of the nutritional work for you, and you can share your progress with friends. Or, skip typing in your meals and simply snap a photo with See How You Eat. The Healthi app uses a point system to motivate you toward your nutrition goals and offers a supportive online community.
You can also find motivation by checking out healthy meals from your favorite celebrity chef, recipes trending online or on social media, or by trying out fruits, veggies, proteins, herbs, and spices you’ve never tasted before.
When it comes to keeping your exercise goals, stay motivated by changing your workouts with the seasons. Try swimming, kayaking, surfing, or golfing in spring and summer, and skiing, ice skating, or sledding in winter. Hiking and raking leaves are two great options for fall.
Or find strength in numbers. Check out a fitness group in your area or join a virtual one on meetup, with options ranging from walking groups to AcroYoga. You could also try out a fitness boot camp or retreat. Or compete with friends (plus an online community) via Fitness apps like Strava, Stepbet, MapMyRun, or Fitocracy. Seek motivation (and fun) for your next run with the Zombies, Run! app, which simulates a virtual zombie attack.
You can also refresh your motivation for exercise goals with things like a fitness vision board, inspirational quotes, upbeat music, or giving yourself rewards.
Getting better sleep is another health-related resolution most people take on at some point in their lives. Many sleep tracker apps can offer some help, like BetterSleep, which offers an impressive array of customizable sleep content, or Sleepiest, with a wide variety of sleep support content. Breethe is a great option for sleep hypnotherapy.
Or you could find some child-like fun (and a little creativity) by playing with the atmosphere in your room. A sheet or curtain can turn your bed into a tent or you could put up fairy lights. Some lamps are designed to make your ceiling look like the night sky. You never know, feeling like a kid might just help you sleep like one.
Mental Goals- Acuity, Memory, & Focus
If your goal centers on brain health and cognitive skills, there are ways to find improvement while having a lot of fun in the process. Many games were designed specifically to build cognitive skills. One example is crossword puzzles. Crosswords, such as those found at Crossword Club, activate multiple brain regions, including language centers, memory centers, and problem-solving areas. They also help prevent dementia and age-related cognitive decline.
Sudoku is a popular game that entertains and sharpens your mind while also keeping it about 10 years younger. Its benefits include improved concentration, memory, and pattern recognition. Some other apps and games known for improving brain health are Luminosity, Elevate, Briangle, chess, Scrabble, and jigsaw puzzles.
Switching up your daily routines is another easy way to boost brain health. For example, if you always follow the same route on your morning walk, mix it up by heading in a different direction one day. Even something as simple as using your opposite hand to brush your teeth can have a positive effect.
Creative activities bring significant benefits to the brain as well. You can try taking up a new hobby like drawing, reading, coloring, photography, gardening, or playing an instrument. Even exploring an art, history, or science museum can offer your brain a boost. Many offer online/virtual tours.
Emotional Goals- Management, Balance, & Mastery
Emotional intelligence has been spotlighted lately, inspiring many to resolve to improve their EQ. While it’s not known for being a particularly fun process, there are some things you can do to find enjoyment. The first step is pretty simple- labeling your emotions. Wordwall has an interactive spinning emotional wheel to help with this. Spin the Wheel offers another.
Another option is to personify your emotions and decide whether they are friends or foes. If you like stories, you can develop your emotions into characters to help enliven the learning process of managing them and identifying how they affect your judgment. Finding your character’s motives, needs, and desires can allow you to explore your emotions at a distance.
There are also some great apps available. Sintelly offers articles, quizzes, and discussions related to emotional intelligence. Moodflow lets you track your emotions, thoughts, moods, and mental well-being. It also includes a “28 Days Habit Challenge.” Another app, called Emotional Intelligence EQ IQ, features practical exercises and insights.
The reduction of stress and anxiety is another emotion-related goal that many strive for. YouTube has many videos featuring high-frequency healing sounds and ambient sounds combined with relaxing scenes or beautiful imagery that many find soothing and enjoyable to watch or have on in the background. Various guided meditations can be found online, in apps, and on YouTube, among other places. Another helpful resource is Happify, an app that offers science-based games and activities to overcome stress and worry.
Financial Goals – Budget, Grow, & Prosper
You don’t typically find the words “budgeting” and “fun” together, but believe it or not, it’s possible. It won’t be a blast, but there are ways you can enjoy some fun here and there.
One idea is to open multiple accounts with your bank and assign them fun nicknames. “Adult’s only” for an account relegated to bills is one example. “Foolishness Fund” for a slush fund, “Merry Compound Interest” for a holiday fund, and “Storm Clouds” for emergencies are some others.
If one of your financial goals is to free yourself from debt, extra motivation can be found with printable charts. Debt Free Charts offers a free starter pack. You can also gamify your monthly budget by setting small goals and rewarding yourself for reaching them.
If you’re part of a couple, you can turn budgeting into a date night activity. After all, you both earn and spend each month. Do whatever you can to add closeness, like cozying up on the couch to review bills or adjust spending goals. Or make some popcorn to share.
You can always try a side hustle if you want to make a little extra money. Etsy lets you turn your hobby into a business while Canva will help you create and sell your own printables. Or you could try to make money in your sleep with passive income. There are also many budgeting apps to help track spending, get started with investing, or achieve your financial goals. PocketGuard, Stash, and YNAB (You Need A Budget) are highly rated.
Social Goals – Become a Social Butterfly
Social awkwardness can make navigating social situations difficult, but you don’t have to be awkward to lack friends, a sense of closeness in your relationships, or the hope to find your soulmate. (If you do struggle with social anxiety, check out this article with steps to overcome it). Many of us occasionally require some help in one or more of these areas, and some fun and creative solutions exist.
An oft-recommended tip for making new friends is to join a group or class in your area based on your interests and hobbies. You are much more likely to connect with someone who shares a common interest than someone who only shares the same space, like a co-worker or neighbor. Plus, you’ll get to spend more time doing what you enjoy. You can also search for like-minded people by attending workshops or conferences.
Another way to do it is to take up a new “social hobby.” One example is learning a new language. You can find a language learning meet-up or language learning club near you. Writing is another option; writing groups can be found by searching on Facebook Groups or Meetup. Or you can type “writer’s groups near me” into Google.
These tips are also ideal for finding a compatible mate.
Some socially centered games, like You Know, Icebreaker, and Talking Point, help deepen your current relationships while also improving social skills and self-esteem. Practicing empathy and being vulnerable more often will also create more intimacy. You can participate in a new activity or hobby with family members or friends. Or host a game night to get closer to acquaintances, co-workers, or neighbors.
Though few follow through with their resolutions, that speaks more about the goals than their characters. We are all capable of achieving what we want, most of us just have to change how we go about it. By choosing achievable, “SMARTER” goals, and breaking them up over smaller periods of time, we set ourselves up for success rather than failure. Finding ways to stay motivated- and fit in some fun whenever we can- will also help the process in a big way. Give it a try, you might be amazed at what you can do.
References:
- Baluch, A., Lester, J. (October 23, 2023). Best Sleep Apps of 2024. Forbes Health. https://www.forbes.com/health/wellness/best-sleep-apps/
- Burrows, S. (January 8, 2024). It’s Not You, It’s Your Goal Setting. University of Rochester Medical Center. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/publications/health-matters/it-s-not-you-it-s-your-goal-setting
- Hailey, L. (No Date). 33 Best Social Hobbies to Meet People (Even For Introverts). Science of People. https://www.scienceofpeople.com/social-hobbies/
- Heather. (No Date). 17 Ways to Stay Motivated to Exercise. On Better Living. https://onbetterliving.com/fitness-motivation/
- Heard, N. (No Date). How To Make Budgeting More Fun. The Frugal Creditnista. https://thefrugalcreditnista.com/2022/03/14/how-to-make-budgeting-more-fun/
- Holden, A. (April 22, 2020). I used to be a terrible saver, but I’ve figured out how to make filling up my savings accounts nearly as satisfying as shopping. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/was-terrible-saver-but-naming-savings-accounts-makes-it-fun-2020-4
- Morin, A. (January 12, 2020). 7 Simple Ways to Deepen Your Emotional Intelligence. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/202001/7-simple-ways-deepen-your-emotional-intelligence
- Myers, A. (August 2, 2023). 5 Brain-Training Games for Kids and Adults. Forbes Health. https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/brain-games/
- Owens, S. (January 2, 2024). The 7 Best Food Tracker Apps of 2024. Lifewire. https://www.lifewire.com/best-food-tracker-apps-4172287
- Ravenscraft, E. (January 23, 2020). An Adult’s Guide to Social Skills, for Those Who Were Never Taught. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/smarter-living/adults-guide-to-social-skills.html
- Stevens, C. (Arpil 24, 2021). 4 Fitness Apps to Fuel Your Competitive Side. Livestrong. https://www.livestrong.com/article/13721607-competitive-fitness-apps/
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