Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions this year? Are you still going strong or have they already been left behind? The resolutions we hear about time and again are – lose weight, get healthy, get better with money and stop smoking. All great ideas, but all quite tough - here’s some ideas on how to get back on the road to success.
Lose Weight/Get healthy
Want to be the best version of yourself you can be? There’s an app for that! There are literally hundreds of free apps that could help you out with this resolution – from calorie counting apps like My Fitness Pal to apps to help you move more like Nike+ Training Club. Have a look round and find one that works for you. Also make sure your friends and family know about the journey you’re on – their support will be invaluable and you’ll be less likely to cheat as they won’t tempt you.
Get better with money
Whether you want to put more money into savings or make a little extra cash, this is one that most people can relate to. First off, use our budget planner to make sure you know what your income and outgoings are each month. One you know this you’ll have a better idea of where you can cut back to save a little more, or to identify where your problem areas are. If you want to save more – start small by putting all your change at the end of the week into a jar or piggy bank – it all adds up. If you want to make a little more then get on sites like eBay or Gumtree to make money from your old possessions, and also take a look at sites like Mysurvey where you can earn a bit of cash for giving your opinions. There are so many ways you can make an extra bit of money, and all it takes is some time and research.
Stop Smoking
This is a resolution that can be very difficult to do by yourself – support is vital to help you succeed. The NHS have a whole section of their website called Smokefree that’s dedicated to helping you out – offering lots of resources, tips and information. They also offer local services should you need to go in and speak to anyone about this. Once again, sharing your goals with family and friends is very important to success as they’ll want to help you and not tempt you - surrounding yourself with positivity is key.
Even with the best of intentions, it’s likely that you will have setbacks along the way. A study by BUPA showed that over half of people who made New Year’s Resolutions failed to keep them – so if you’ve crumbled, you’re not alone! Just keep pushing and you’ll get there in the end.
