While many people make New Year's resolutions, according to U.S. News, up to 80 percent of resolutions fail by February. So if you want to succeed, you're probably going to need some help. And, these six ways to keep your 2018 New Year's resolutions have got your back. First, let's all acknowledge that New Year's resolutions can be a lot of pressure, and you are under no obligation to make them at all. However, if you do want to make a New Year's resolution, there a few things you can do to set yourself up for success.
For starters, according to the American Psychological Association, you're more likely to succeed if you only make one New Year's resolution. Change is hard work, and improving even one thing in your life is going to take a lot of determination. Just because the calendar flips over, it doesn't mean you're suddenly going to meet your fitness goals, transform your health, quit smoking and drinking, learn something new, travel more, get more sleep, and get out of debt, which are the top nine New Year's resolutions for 2018, according to Forum Mantra.
You're also going to have to commit to being kind to yourself, and asking for help if things start to go sideways. If you're determined to improve one area of your life, here are six things that can help you keep your 2018 New Year's resolution.
1. If You Have Fitness Goals, Grab A Friend
Who doesn't want to be more fit? Even if you want to be strong AF, sometimes the desire to press the snooze button, hit happy hour instead of the gym, or marathon Netflix can override your Wonder Woman aspirations — especially if you're going it alone. Personally, I am 100 percent more likely to work out if I am not doing it alone, and I am 100 percent likely to skip it if there is no one holding me accountable.
A recent Facebook survey shared with Bustle noted that, "those that post their resolutions on Facebook are 36 percent more likely than those who don't to achieve their resolutions always or most of the time, indicating that your online community can help motivate you to achieve your goals." While you don't have to share your New Year's resolution with all of your virtual friends, having a buddy, or other accountability plan can help you succeed.
2. Turn To Technology For Help
If you want to gift yourself with something that can help you track your health and fitness goals, there are few new gadgets and apps that are worth a look. Give yourself this Motiv Ring for the holidays, which looks like a chic piece of hand candy. However, Motiv has a secret superpower — it tracks your heart rate, sleep patterns, and activity. Also, if the gym is not your jam, grab your BFF and try out a virtual meditation and movement class, like this new platform from Movement + Meditation Coach Kait Hurley. You can get a monthly subscription for way less than the cost of a gym membership, and use it as often as you like. But, it's affordable enough that you don't have to feel guilty if you skip a week.
Another great app is 8fit, which treats you like an individual versus one of the pack. Because everyone's goals are different, 8fit helps you build healthy habits for life with simple, made-for-you solutions that embrace your differences, your struggles, and your successes, according to their website. You can also sign up for email check ins, so it's kind of like having a virtual coach. And, for me, when I am working toward any goal, it's always helpful to engage my friends who are in it with me. Create a group text message or Facebook thread where you can check in with each other every day. Seriously, it works.
3. If It's All About Health, Make It Easy
If your 2018 New Year's resolution is to become healthier, there is a lot of support out there for you. The good news is that 2018 is the year of asynchronous meals. This concept of eating what you want when you want to eat it is so simple it's kind of ridiculous that it's just gaining traction now. Basically, the asynchronous eating trend recognizes that you are a unique person with your own set of needs, so you're totally empowered to do whatever is best for you.
Personally, I don't really like to shop or cook, which can make the whole healthy eating thing kind of a challenge. I tried a few subscription boxes that come with all of the ingredients and recipes, but I also suck at following directions, and the food still need to be be prepped and cooked. What is working for me is getting things delivered like smoothies, soups, and bowls.
My favorite go-to deliveries are Daily Harvest, which can bring you all of the aforementioned items as often as you want, and GreenBlender, which can deliver you a week's supply of stuff for 10 pre-portioned superfood smoothies. Seriously, these two places can make eating healthy accessible to even the laziest person as long as they have a blender and a microwave.
I also get a bi-weekly box from Imperfect Produce, which let's you customize a box of fruits and vegetables that are perfectly fine to eat, but are too ugly to be sold in stores, which means they are super cheap. If you start to come down with a winter cold, and want to focus on a more natural routine for staying well, honey is known to have many wellness benefits, and these Zarbee's Naturals products, which are dark honey, elderberry, and agave based, are pretty boss.
Additionally, because sugar makes me totally nuts, but I still want the sweet stuff, GoodPop is a great alternative for me. And, it's part of the floral food trend Whole Foods is predicting for 2018. GoodPop started at an Austin, Texas, farmer's market, and is now available at natural grocers across the country. It's all natural, but still satisfies my cravings so I don't go down a sugar rabbit hole, which — trust me — isn't good for anyone.
4. Embrace Tech Help For A Healthier Lifestyle
If you want to track your health habits, there are few apps that can help. Lifesum is a Swedish lifestyle app that features in-house nutritionist, Frida Harju-Westman, who has compiled a number of useful guides to help you achieve your health goals in 2018.
If you want to capture a picture of your overall health, check out Spire Health Tag, a health-monitoring device you can hide anywhere in your clothes so no one is the wiser. According to a press release sent to Bustle, Spire uses advanced algorithms and deep learning to provide personalized, real-time health guidance for sleep, stress, and daily activity through continuously analyzing breath and heart rate inflection points.
If you want to get really serious, you can use Color, a super-easy and affordable genetic testing kit that can test for myriad potential health conditions, including BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, linked to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.
5. If You Want More Sleep, Change Your Bed Karma
Both the Motiv Ring and Spire can help you track your sleep, but there are a few there things you can do to ensure you succeed at getting more sack time in 2018. If this is your New Year's resolution, you're not alone. A new study from Everyday Health reported that 81 percent of women aren't getting enough sleep. Consider starting off the new year by adopting a clean-sleeping routine, which is super easy to do because it's all based in common sense. Additionally, Dr. Sujay Kansagra, Mattress Firm’s Sleep Health Expert, tells Bustle that reserving your bed for two activities is key to getting better sleep.
"Your bed should be used for only two things — sleep and intimacy. All other activities should be preformed outside of your bed, and ideally, outside of your room," Dr. Kansagra says. "When you walk into your bedroom, you want your mind to start focusses on sleep, not about your latest work assignment." And, you probably already know this, but screen-time right before bed is not going to help you sail peacefully off to dreamland.
Dr. Kansagra also recommends morning exercise for better sleep. "Daytime exercise can lead to sound nighttime sleep. If you exercise late and have difficulty falling asleep, consider moving your workout to earlier in your day. The increase in body temperature from exercise tends to be prolonged, sometimes making it hard to fall asleep."
6. If You Want To See The World, You Totally Can
If your goal is to see the world in 2018, then you'll be thrilled to know that a new report from Contiki noted that travel actually makes you a better person. Additionally, another study from Discover noted that Millennials are prioritizing travel over having a family. If, for whatever reason, you're alone in your wanderlust, but not ready to travel solo, then you're going to want to join Girls LOVE Travel, a group of more than 500,000 women around the world who are committed to empowering and supporting one another. You can meet other travelers on the site and plan a trip, or join a trip organized by Girls LOVE Travel. You can also find places to stay on your journey on Overnight, a home-sharing group just for women.
There are also tons of apps that can enhance your travel experiences once you're on your adventure. If it's exclusive, curated getaways you're interested in, IfOnly hosts vetted experiences that also feature a social give back, so you can feel even better about your trip. Choose from Tour of Kings County Distillery and flight of five whiskeys in Brooklyn, N.Y., which benefits Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer; Shop Like a Hollywood Insider with style blogger and stylist, Melissa Chataigne who will take you to modern, vintage, and celebrity favorite spots in Los Angeles, Calif., which benefits Girls Inc.; and more.
If you want to see the world for free and get paid (for real!), apply to Remote Year, which brings together groups of inspiring professionals to travel, live, and work in different cities around the world. While keeping your New Year's resolution might be tough, choose one that you most want to complete, then harness all of the resources available to you to help you succeed. After all, we're all in this together.
