While New Year’s resolutions are usually a great incentive to make the coming year the most productive it can be, they aren’t the easiest to stick to. And, when your resolutions fall through, it’s easy to give up and merely wait for the next year for a fresh start. But for those of us who want a change, this is not an option. Even if January melts away, that doesn’t mean you can’t give yourself a fresh start. Here are some ways to make sure you don’t fall victim to that unproductive cycle again.
1. Bingo Board
Not only are New Year’s resolutions lists intimidating to look at, but they’re also boring. Checking off boxes often doesn’t give you that satisfying feeling of accomplishment. Instead, you should think about turning your list into a bingo board. Not only is it fun to look at, but it makes your goals feel a lot more attainable.
Bingo boards aren’t as hard to make as you might think, and you definitely don’t have to be a creative genius. After writing down between 8-25 goals, you’re basically halfway done. Grab a piece of blank paper and draw a grid of even squares. If you want, you can label the middle-most one “free space”. Then, fill in all the empty squares with your goals so you can start checking them off. In my opinion, one of the best parts of creating a bingo board is decorating it afterward. Whether you create a cute checkered pattern or draw little corresponding pictures, sometimes just doodling can motivate you to get a much-needed 2025 bingo.
2. Write it down
If creating a bingo board for your resolutions is too much, don’t worry; you can still make 2025 the year for you. The most simple and original way to keep your resolutions is to make sure they’re written down somewhere. No matter if it’s a sticky note or journal, make sure it’s somewhere. Writing them down forces you to think through your goals, re-evaluate, and tweak them if need be.
After writing down your resolutions, you’re not done. Grab your list or bingo board and start moving. Think about a place in your bedroom or house that you see or go to every morning, such as a vanity mirror or bathroom sink. Once you have a place in mind, throw your resolutions up. That way, whether you’re brushing your teeth or reading a book, you’re also subconsciously thinking about your goals and resolutions. Daily reminders can help them stick and motivate you to act further on your goals.
3. Break it down
No matter how you choose to keep your resolutions, you’ll find it much more challenging to stay on task if you forget this simple tip: breaking your goals down. Staying organized all year not only sounds daunting but also vague. On the other hand, choosing to keep your dirty clothes off the floor and make your bed every morning sounds much more achievable and straightforward. By breaking down your goals, you can also get away with claiming to have completed more than you would have otherwise. By laying out steps like this, you’ll find it much easier to track your goals and progress.
4. Incentives
While changing yourself for the better is a great incentive to follow through on your New Year’s resolutions, it doesn’t have to be the only reward in your 2025 year. Rearranging your life, even in the most mundane ways, can be frustrating and frightening. Oftentimes, you want to quit that long journey and wait till next year. Instead of looking at the mountain of work ahead, look at the path beneath you. Create little rewards and checkpoints to motivate you through the year. For example, buy yourself that book you’ve wanted to read after you get onto varsity or eat that last piece of chocolate you saved after cleaning your room. It doesn’t matter how big or small your reward is; just use it as a reminder of how far you’ve gotten already.
Yes, resolutions are daunting, but they don’t have to be. Whether you create a bingo board, list, or reward system, you choose whether you follow through or not. Make 2025 the year that you look back on fondly and pride yourself on the choices you made.
