New Year’s resolutions are always popular, but you have to be realistic with your goals if you really want to keep them, experts say.
Eating better and exercising more are still popular New Year’s resolutions, observes psychologist Geneviève Beaulieu-Pelletier.
In her latest book, psychologist Geneviève Beaulieu-Pelletier offers strategies for changing elements of our lives.
COURTESY Photo
While the desire to improve is an excellent idea, whether on New Year’s Eve, on your birthday or other date, changing your behavior is demanding and takes time.
To achieve this, you must put into practice certain winning strategies.
Set realistic goals
“I still see people making New Year’s resolutions but I see more cynicism than before. As if people had failed so often in the past that they had to give up now,” comments psychologist Geneviève Beaulieu-Pelletier, who published, a few months ago, Psychological tips: practical guide to helping yourself (Les Éditions de l’Homme). An entire chapter focuses on the desire for change.
“Psych Tips”, by psychologist Geneviève Beaulieu-Pelletier, gives advice on “helping yourself”.
Photo provided by LES ÉDITIONS DE L’HOMME
One way to get off to a good start is to set realistic goals. For a sedentary person, managing to run three times a week is easier to follow than completing a marathon.
Be precise
“It is better to be specific in your resolutions, for example losing 5 kilos in the next year rather than eating less sugar,” comments biochemist Martin Carli. The quiz savant Awesomeat Télé-Québec, does not make resolutions, which does not mean that he does not have faults to correct, he says with a laugh. But the psychological studies he consulted show that the success of this type of decision is greater when the framework of the resolutions is precise in time and context. Another example? Set yourself one or two workouts per week at the gym rather than wanting to “do more sport”.
Do it for yourself
You should avoid setting goals for change because of social pressure or comments from those around you. “Our source of motivation must be within us,” explains psychologist Beaulieu-Pelletier. I do it because it’s important to me!” An important point for this specialist: being consistent with your personal values. It will be easier to hold on when motivation wanes.
Have a plan
Change takes time and energy; therefore, according to the psychologist, it is preferable to plan your work. “If you want to prepare your own meals at the office to save money and eat better, get into the habit of leaving your lunch box in plain sight in the kitchen the day before. Having it in front of you will get you used to changing your behavior.”
Archive photo AGENCE QMI
Reward yourself!
Martin Carli is full of ideas for experiments to present on the set of the show “Génial!”, on Télé-Québec, for 11 seasons now.
Photo provided by TÉLÉ-QUÉBEC
Studies show that rewards work when you try to transform yourself for the better, underlines Martin Carli. “Celebrating our small victories is very precious,” he said in an interview with Journal. This does not prevent you from putting a little pressure on yourself by clearly displaying your intentions. The scholar emphasizes that applications exist for the bravest. “The idea is to bet a certain amount on achieving our goals. In case of failure, the money is paid to charity.”
