What to Do If You Always Break Your New Year’s Resolution

Did you bite off more than you could chew? Did the resolution just sound good at the time? Time to push reset! Remember, your goal doesn't have to start at the stroke of midnight. But this time, really think about what part of your life needs an overhaul and go from there. You can also give yourself mini-resolutions to do each month.

The only way that New Year's resolutions can be successful is if you're in the right mindset. Whether you want to lose weight, shave time off your running pace, or up the weight on the bench press, motivation is key. If you choose a resolution you really want to accomplish instead of something you think you should be doing, it's much easier, rewarding, and fun to work towards it.

Even if you still want to cut your usual five desserts per week down to two, the secret for your success may be to start off slow. For the first week, decrease your desserts to four times a week, then three the following week, and so on. Pretty soon you'll be able to get down to only have sweets once in a while without missing it much!

Maybe come Dec. 31, 2019, your hope is to have officially said goodbye to 40 pounds. Ambitious? Yes. Impossible? Absolutely not. But it can be hard to keep the end in sight when it's a whole 365 days away. So plan to be down 10 pounds by March or even one pound a week. Hitting mini-victories along the way will keep you focused and motivated.

Nothing says "I did it!" like a new outfit. But if clothes aren't high on your wishlist, choose something fun that will keep you determined through the year. Maybe you'll finally treat yourself to a full-body massage or that tech gadget you've had your eye on. No matter what it is, keep it in the back of your mind for the day you can officially become a part of that small percentage of people who actually tackles their resolutions.