Research shows that millions of Americans made at least one New
Year's Resolution this year - but that the real trouble is in
sticking to it. According to University of Scranton psychology
professor John Norcross, PhD., the three leading resolutions are
to lose weight, quit smoking, or exercise regularly. The problem
is, less than thirty percent of the people that make a
resolution are still working toward their goal thirty days later.
Resolution-makers try everything - going cold turkey with
cigarettes, buying expensive gym memberships, even rewarding
themselves with bribes for making it through a week without ice
cream. Unfortunately, these methods fail more often than they
succeed. However, thousands of people are finding that using an
online diary, or blog, can help them to stick with their
resolutions and succeed in reaching their goals.
A blog can help with your New Year's resolution in many ways. To
start, use your blog to write down exactly what your resolution
is, and what the goals are that you hope to achieve. Plan out a
timetable for reaching your goals, and put it in writing in your
online diary. For instance, if your resolution is to quit
smoking, start a journal today, with the first entry stating
your goal and how long you expect to have to work to reach it.
This clearly defines what your expectations are. More
importantly, it records a concrete timeframe for what you are
trying to accomplish - making it less likely that you will keep
pushing your goal date back week after week.
As you work toward your goal, use your blog to keep track of
your progress. Each day, make an entry that tells what your
successes or failures for that day were. If your resolution is
to lose weight, include your weight in your daily diary entry,
so you can clearly see what sort of progress you are making.
This is particularly useful if you are working towards a
long-term goal over several months, since you can check back
through your blog to monitor your progress. Changes that seem
very small from one day to the next will take on a larger
significance when you see them happening over many days and
weeks in your blog.
If you fall off the resolution wagon one day, be sure to record
that as well. A blog can be great for analyzing what went wrong
on a particular day, by helping you see what else may have
caused the problem. For instance, if your goal is to stop
smoking, you may notice in your diary that you are still
sneaking cigarettes every Tuesday, but only after the weekly
staff meeting with your boss. Identifying the cause of your
stress may help you to avoid or eliminate the problem, and get
back on track with your resolution.
Finally, use your blog as a support mechanism. Most online diary
communities allow other members to leave notes to the blog
writer - which is a great way to receive support and
encouragement from other people who are working toward a similar
goal. A few friendly words from somebody else who is trying to
exercise three times a week can go a long way towards getting
you in the gym tomorrow. As you share your successes or failures
with others, you may be surprised by the amount of advice and
positive reinforcement you receive from the people who read your
blog.
By providing a tool for recording your goals, tracking your
progress, and gathering personal support, a blog can be
invaluable in helping you stick to your New Year's resolution.
If you don't already have a blog, check out one of dozens of
online diary sites - most of them are free, easy to use, and
will provide you with everything you need to keep your own
resolution diary.
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