Tips for Considering New Year’s Resolutions

By: Anne Snider, RN, BSN

So with the New Year approaching many of us will make resolutions.  And, most of those will be based in trying to somehow change or improve ourselves.  And, most of us will fail.  

According to a 2007 study out of the University of Bristol, 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail.  What do you suppose that might do to someone’s mood, self esteem, and anxiety level?  Many of these resolutions are improvement based, and there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve ourselves.  However, in setting these goals, we must be realistic. 

New Year’s Resolutions, the Stages of Change and Moving Towards Healthier Behavior

By: Jason Ulanet, MSCP

New Year's has always served as a convenient deadline for initiating behavioral change; "I'll begin changing as soon as the calendar changes" is the underlying message of all New Year's resolutions. The first steps on the path leading away from longstanding unhealthy habits are often intimidating and confusing, leaving us discouraged and demoralized. As a result these resolutions wind up either partially or completely broken and change does not occur. Becoming familiar with the Stages of Change model can help clarify why some efforts to change are successful and others are not.