We’re all familiar with New Year’s Resolutions. We see our friends promising to hit the gym, eat healthier, meditate and be more assertive at work popping up all over our social media feeds during the month of January. And then comes the sinking feeling in our gut. We've made tons of resolutions but have never been able to stick to them.
Why is it so hard to change?!
Like so many things in life, it's easier to stay on track when we change the “I” to a “we.” Involving others can be a great strategy to keep us motivated and on track with our resolutions. Communities are healing and they can be powerful forces in our lives and the lives of others. We are way more likely to stick to new year’s resolutions if we build a community around them. Here’s how:
Ways to build community into your New Year’s Resolution
Get an accountability partner: Reach out to a friend, family member, co-worker or other important person in your life to talk about your resolutions with them. Set up a schedule to check in at least once a month with one another on how things are progressing and give updates on your resolutions.
Schedule time to “body double”: Body doubling (sometimes known as co-working) is having another person with you while you work on something. This can be done in real life or virtually. Body doubling is a strategy that lots of neurodivergent folks have found really helpful to get stuff done, but it can be a great strategy for anyone. The person your body doubling with doesn’t need to help you with your task and they can even be working on their own stuff. Sometimes it's just easier to stay focused and get stuff done if someone nearby is also focused and getting stuff done. (I’m body doubling with my partner at Barnes and Noble while I write this!)
Come up with a family or group resolution: Coming up with a family or group resolution with friends can be a great way to bond and help us stay accountable. Group resolutions tend to work best when they are a bit broad. For example, a resolution of "We will be healthier this year" would work better for a group than "we will exercise every day." This lets everyone focus on reaching the goal in the way that works best for them.
Find a social media group for support: Social media can be a great tool for helping us stay on track. Search for others who have the same or similar resolutions as you do and connect virtually!
Share your resolution here: We’d love to hear about your plans and resolutions for the new year! If you share with us, we will check in every few months to see how you are progressing!
If you don’t already have a resolution in mind for yourself, or are having some trouble setting one, check out this great guide from Paper Thoughts Program.
The new year is the perfect time to reflect and plan for the future.
We want to make sure we are setting ourselves up for success. Building community around our goals can be an amazing and effective way to do that. Plus. most things are more fun with a buddy!
If one of your resolutions this year is to improve the mental health and wellness of you, your family, or your community, check out our Services Page for more information on the support we can offer.
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