How to: Keep your New Year Resolutions

words by chelsea dulieu

Drinks less, save more, eat healthy, join the gym…

We’re all guilty of making (and breaking) our New Year resolutions year after year, don’t deny it, you’ve done it too. So this year I’ve made my resolution ‘keep my resolutions’ – so how do I make this year stick?

1. Start simple;

I’ll admit that I’m the worst for making outlandish goals without making any kind of realistic steps on how to reach them. “I’ll save $10,000 by the end of the year!” Where is this money coming from? How much do I need to put away per paycheck? How much of my shopping addiction will I need to cull? These are things I have never bothered to actually think about. This year I accidentally stumbled across something that, to me, seems much more achievable. Cue ‘the $5 note challenge’. Quite simply, every time you find yourself in possession of a $5 note you put it away somewhere safe (or if you have low self-control, give it to someone else to put away). At the end of the year, you end up with quite a nice little pile of cash with almost zero effort. It’s not the most calculated and official form of saving but hey – a few days into 2017 and I already have $50 hidden away. Results speak for themselves.

2. Break the habit of non-necessities;

As I said above, shopping is my downfall. Clothes, shoes, homewares, DVDs, you name it, I’ll buy it. For no reason other than I like the feeling of purchasing something new. With a closet full – and I mean full to the point of bursting – of items that still have tags on them, I still find myself adding new pieces on a regular basis. Until recently. I have ALWAYS been a big shopper but only at the end of last year did I realise what it was really costing me. Now I don’t mean financially, I mean it got to the point where it’s holding me back from travelling and seeing the world. That hit me hard and has since really reeled back my shopping habits. Just thinking “do I really need this dress? Do I want it more than a lunch in Paris?” really prompts me to slide my credit card back into my wallet. So pick something you REALLY want to do and think about that any time you’re about to hand over some cash – trust me, it’s hard at first but it works.

3. Write it down;

Having thoughts written down works wonders. Even though it may only be you reading them, there’s something about putting thoughts down on paper that turns them into reality. For my Christmas present from me to me – and thank you to me for that – I purchased an Amelia Lane Life Designer. No matter what your goal/s are there’s a spot in this diary to get organised. Goals, finance, health – you name it (plus they are really pretty). Anything you can get, just to jot down those scrambled thoughts in your head and make them organised.

Now no one is perfect and I’m sure we will all stumble at some point. No doubt at some point I will have a bad day and buy myself a few new outfits or have a binge on burgers and fries but the most important thing is to get up, dust off the setback and get back on track. Happy resolutioning!