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Time to be honest, everyone has dropped the ball a few months after New Years on their resolution; it’s not a secret and it’s almost expected at this point. Nowadays you see countless news reports and articles about “Sticking with your New Year’s Resolution” but it can be difficult to apply these changes to your own life.

Be more positive, get out more, and the big one *que ominous background music*: lose weight. All of these resolutions have a few things in common; they’ve all been tried, dropped,…and they’re all too vague.

The reason so many loose interest in their resolutions is because they become impossible to track. Be positive. How positive? Are you already a mostly positive person and want to work on getting that last little bit? Are you constantly bitter and are just trying to smile more often? Science says the human brain gets discouraged when there isn’t noticeable progress being made, and we know it to be true. Instead of your resolution being “be more positive”, try something like “say on positive thing per day” or “give a compliment once a day”. When you see yourself meeting your goals, it can inspire you to take on more, and there you have it, you’re more positive!

It can also help to lift your spirits when you feel yourself slipping. I know “remaining positive” is the last thing you think of when you feel you’re losing interest, but it doesn’t have to be! Give yourself a break. Reward yourself for making it as far as you did, do whatever makes you smile for an adequate amount of time, then get back at it. You’ll be amazed at how refreshed and capable you’ll feel after spending time doing something that makes you smile.

All in all, the stigma around keeping to your New Year’s resolution can make making a change seem daunting. What’s important is that you try. You give it your all. As long as you’re remaining positive, you can surprise yourself at how successful you really can be.