New Year's Resolutions and How to Keep Them

You’ve had plenty of time to draft your New Year’s Resolutions, so what have you resolved to do?

Unsurprisingly, some resolutions are popular year after year. We all want to lose weight, eat healthier, save money, manage stress. Self-improvement is our favorite pastime.

A study from the University of Scranton took a closer look at New Year’s Resolutions and found out some pretty interesting things. Below is a neat little infographic from DegreeSearch.org that showcases the findings. The highlights? About 46% of Americans make New Year’s Resolutions and just 8% actually achieve them.

Depressing, I know. But don’t give up just yet! Clinical psychologist John Norcross, the lead investigator in the New Year’s Resolutions study, shares some tips in this NPR story on how to make those resolutions stick. Some of his ideas include the buddy system and creating realistic goals – nothing too grandiose there. If you haven’t been going to the gym even one day a week, there’s no way you’re about to start going every day of the week. Don’t be ridiculous.

Also, it’s important not to give up once you’ve had a lapse. Maybe you didn’t stick to your resolution this first week, but there’s always next week. That is my own personal struggle. It’s so easy to give up once you’ve messed up, but don’t. Just don’t.

In case you haven’t made any resolutions, allow me to recommend one for you – community service. We’re all busy with school and work and all that jazz, but it’s not too much to squeeze in one act of service here and there. If you don’t have the time to volunteer regularly, keep your eyes peeled for community service events hosted by family and friends and acquaintances, and get out there and help them out!