Here's how you KEEP Your New Year's Resolutions

A MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT WEEK #1 - NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

1. KEEP Your New Year's Resolutions BACKED by Neuroscience

Happy New Years, Friends! Personally, I spent my new year’s eve relaxing at home with my wife and was asleep by 11pm (contrast this to a NYE in my mid 20’s where I stayed out until 3am and came home to a locked apartment, lost key, and cold, hard hallway ground to sleep on ~shudders~).

Okay now let’s talk New Year's Resolutions. Does this situation sound familiar? You spend weeks hyping yourself up. “I can do this. I can do this! I will be a happier, healthier person this year!” You start STRONG on January 1st. BUT… by the end of January, you have fizzled out, and your resolution is already a thing of the past.

WHY does this happen? Here are 3 simple ways to increase your odds of keeping your resolution.

• 1. Set realistic & SPECIFIC goals

Let’s say your goal is to lose 10 pounds this year (always speak with your doctor before starting a weight-loss journey). Let’s face it, losing 10 pounds can sound daunting. But what about losing 1 pound per month? Sounds more do-able? If you keep that up, you’ll actually lose OVER 10 pounds this year! Keep it REALISTIC, keep it OBJECTIVE, and take it day by day.

• 2. Write down your goals

Research shows that people who write down their goals achieve them at a far greater rate than those who don’t. Why does this happen? Writing things down helps our hippocampus (our long term memory and storage part of our brain) encode the information and store it.

• 3. Keep your goals to yourself

It may sound counterintuitive, but here’s how this works:

2. 1000 Hours Outside 

I was always an outside kid growing up, and I loved it. There’s a ton of data coming out these days showing that being outside has numerous benefits for your physical and mental health (think Vitamin D from the sun, cardiovascular benefits from walking, even grounding?) P.S. I’m not sold on “grounding” yet, but I’m definitely not discounting it’s proposed benefits (just don’t step in ant hills or dog feces, please).

I spend the majority of my day inside my work office. I live for the days I get to play soccer or tennis, spend the day at the beach, or go on an evening walk with my wife, Ari.

There is a whole movement surrounding this concept called “1000 Hours Outside”. The premise is simple, spend 1000 hours outside this year. My sister has committed to this for her family of 6. Do you think this is something you can do in 2024?

3. My New Year’s Resolution

Okay, I know I just said “KEEP YOUR RESOLUTIONS TO YOURSELF”, but I’m about to break this rule for the purposes of education! This year, one of my goals is to improve my financial literacy and become more confident in my personal finances (cue small rush of dopamine).

I’m in the process of reading RICH AF right now by Vivian Tu and I LOVE the way that she breaks down complicated and intimidating financial jargon into easy to understand takeaways. She is helping change the way I view money and savings.

I definitely recommend picking up a copy of her new book, RICH AF, linked here:  https://www.yourrichbff.com/richaf

Thanks for tuning in for Week 1 of your 52 Week Mental Health Toolkit! Talk to you next week!

Disclaimer: These emails do not assume a doctor-patient relationship and my information is not intended to substitute for medical advice. I offer science-backed educational information aimed at empowering you to live your best life. Always consult your personal doctor before starting any treatment.

This Week’s Sources: PMID: 31197192