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how to successfully tackle your new year's resolutions

staying on track with new year's resolutions isn’t always easy. setting a goal is one thing, but taking actionable steps toward it is another.

by angelica bottaro

published dec 30, 2024

5 minute read

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5 minute read

join the conversation

as with everything, state of mind also plays a role in building healthy habits that’ll last long after many others have given up on their new year’s resolutions. getty images

close to half of all canadians make a new year’s resolution or two. the goals people wish to accomplish when the calendar resets in january are often health goals, like quitting smoking or exercising more, but can also be related to saving more money, spending more time on their hobbies, or cultivating better relationships. while setting an intention to improve their lives is a positive act, nearly 70 per cent of canadians who choose the new year to set new life goals will not follow through.

tatiana rivera cruz, a licenced independent social worker with adhd advisor specializing in anxiety, depression, family and relationship challenges, believes that setting resolutions is just the first step in reaching a goal. she also believes that, for some, the genuine desire for change isn’t there.

“i think most people do it because it’s a tradition that you’re in a new year’s party, you’re like, ‘yeah, let’s do resolutions. this is going to be great,’” she said.

that said, she also notes that others are highly motivated by the new year to make life changes. for those, she says, “it starts like a resolution, but it turns out to be a plan to get to (my) goal.”

for both groups, staying on track with their resolutions isn’t always easy. setting a goal is one thing, but taking actionable steps toward it is another.

the mental health aspects of new year’s resolutions

when people strive to make positive changes in their lives, it can benefit their mental health in several ways. it can help improve confidence while building on the momentum of the holidays regarding motivation. when people feel better about themselves and their choices, their mental health improves—especially when people succeed.

however, the negative impacts can be just as apparent in people who set those resolutions and fail to make the necessary changes to attain their goals.

“things that can be related to mental health can be increased feelings of failure because you didn’t get to that resolution that you planned at the beginning of the year, low self-worth, increased symptoms of anxiety and depression,” said cruz.

she also notes that setting these goals and then failing to reach them can exacerbate mental health disorders that are already there but exist with less prevalent symptoms, along with feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, emotional distress, frustration, procrastination, and poor coping mechanisms.

“all that negativity can come from the part of planning or not planning or having that in my mind as something i want to do, but i didn’t have a concrete plan to get there.”

building healthy habits with planning

if you want to make a change that will last through 2025 and beyond, cruz suggests taking a different approach than setting a resolution and simply hoping you follow through. she says that you need to have a plan.

“building habits are more sustainable (and) more effective,” she said.

according to cruz, the first step in doing that is taking a step back from the resolution and considering whether it is realistic. for example, if a person’s goal is to reach a healthy weight, they may set a resolution to lose weight. instead of keeping it broad and long-term, it’s better to break it down into pieces that are actionable, doable, and, more importantly, realistic.

when focusing on a weight loss example, this could be breaking it down into smaller chunks, like planning to exercise three days a week at set times to build the goal into your routine.

“the first step is focusing on what i want, my goal, whatever it is, and tracking that or breaking that into a short-term goal,” she said. i’m going to be able to achieve this in three months because having it in a long-term vision, there may come procrastination like, ‘oh, i have time to get there. i’m planning to do this before the next year ends, so i have the entire year. so, planning by small tasks is being realistic and can help even better.”

consistency and commitment are key

once the goal has been set and you’ve established a plan, it’s time to put in the work. that’s where commitment to yourself and consistency with your plan come into play—both of which become easier when those smaller short-term goals are set.

cruz notes that setting the first part of a new year’s resolution with three-month deadlines is a great start because it gives a person enough time to implement changes and track progress while working toward their main objective.

“i need consistency because we’re already in january, so i have two more months to go, and i can keep track and focus of what i’m doing and keep track of my progress as well,” she said. “when you’re in the middle of that deadline, you can just look back and see everything you have made and that gives you even more motivation to just continue and finish.”

cruz also notes that these life changes are challenging, regardless of what they’re related to. however, being consistent, having a plan, and staying committed to bettering your current situation in the way that you want to is a great way to reach a goal and help your mental health in the process.

“it helps you hold yourself accountable with your own responsibility,” she said. “i can lose my interest. i can lose my motivation, but again, the consistency and the plan … is going to help me find that motivation.”

having a solid support system is another benefit on the road to building healthy habits in the new year.

“having support and having people around you that you trust that know about your plan that are there for you, too, it helps you,” she said. “instead of spiralling with this, it helps get out of that spiral to continue your plan.”

as with everything, state of mind also plays a role in building healthy habits that’ll last long after many others have given up on their new year’s resolutions.

“our thought process is so powerful,” she said. “when we think about what we want to do, that’s what is going to happen. if we start the year with the mindset that this is going to be a different year, this is going to be the year that instead of me saying i’m going to go to the gym, i’m going to do this. you start believing that. you start believing that ‘i’m going to do this. i’m going to be capable. i’m realistic. there’s going to be a lot of challenges in the way, but i will remember them. my focus at the end is saying i went to the gym every time i could for the entire year, and i can feel accomplished with that goal.”

angelica bottaro

angelica bottaro is the lead editor at healthing.ca, and has been content writing for over a decade, specializing in all things health. her goal as a health journalist is to bring awareness and information to people that they can use as an additional tool toward their own optimal health.

how to successfully tackle your new year's resolutions

staying on track with new year's resolutions isn’t always easy. setting a goal is one thing, but taking actionable steps toward it is another.

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the mental health aspects of new year’s resolutions

building healthy habits with planning

consistency and commitment are key

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how to successfully tackle your new year's resolutions

staying on track with new year's resolutions isn’t always easy. setting a goal is one thing, but taking actionable steps toward it is another.

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