New Year's Resolutions Turn Into 'Close Enough'

Jan. 4, 2009 — -- The buzz word for 2008 was "change" -- but is it really that simple? Everyone's making New Year's resolutions for 2009, but the chances of sticking to those resolutionsare slim.

Research shows 80 percent of people who make resolutions on Jan. 1 will fall off the wagon by Valentine's Day. So what's the problem? Clinical psychologist Dr. Belisa Vranich says that humans may be hard-wired to avoid change.

Good Enough

America is a nation of "good enough," she said. Once people reach a certain level that brings them a medium amount of happiness, they give up. In essence, people have "just enough" motivation. People will set a goal to lose 15 pounds, but can't push through, so they settle on losing five pounds, or just fitting into an old pair of jeans.

Think Practical, Not Magical

According to Vranich, people look at Jan. 1 as "magical" -- somehow the date has a mystical power that will help change one's life. Instead of believing change will just happen, people need to make it happen. Vranich says it takes approximately six months to create change. People want a quick fix and give up when working on change gets too hard.

Make To-Do Lists, not Wish Lists

Another problem is that people treat New Year's resolutions like a wish list, not a to-do list. The majority of people forget the key step -- to plan. Vranich recommends checking pantries and purses for pitfalls. For people resolving to lose weight, open the pantry and throw out junk food to insure healthy eating. To cut spending, take credit cards out of wallets. For both, keep a spending or eating journal. The list will ward off vague resolutions, and help to work toward concrete goals.

Fake It Till You Make It

To make a resolution stick, turn goals into habits. Initially, your efforts may not feel comfortable or natural, but "faking it" by doing the same action again and again or even visualizing yourself doing something, is part of the learning process, Vranich says.

Plan an exercise before going to the gym so the brain is already there. People wanting to feel happier should force them themselves to smile. The body will actually react positively, Vranich says. It might not feel normal at first, but as soon as faking turns into habit, the resolution has actually stuck.

Beware of Friendly Foes

Some friends aren't malicious but often they can undermine you without even realizing it. By asking friends to lunch instead of letting them exercise at the gym, friends are not as supportive as they think they are. Their attention is flattering, but it doesn't help you reach goals.