Forget About Yearly Resolutions, Make It a Monthly Habit!

We may still have one month to New Year's Eve, but everyone around has already started thinking where the party is going to be! So resolutions are just around the corner! If you’re like most people, you don’t even think about making New Year’s resolutions anymore. I know it was exciting the first couple of times for me, but just like Pick the brain indicated, it becomes too depressing to feel like a failure when I couldn't stick to a diet, lose weight or exercise properly for a long time! Well, maybe it works out for the first month, but then it’s just too much of a commitment to handle every day, especially that we have dinners and parties everywhere in Lebanon! Well, here’s a way to have resolutions that stick. Pick the brain came up with an absolutely excellent idea last year to say goodbye to New Year’s resolutions and hello to monthly habits!!

Keeping a goal for for 365 days is pretty hectic! However, Pick the brain's smart idea is that if you can stick to a habit for 28 days, the habit becomes permanent. You no longer think of it as a difficult task for it just becomes part of you and your daily habits. 

So, how do you come up with 12 habits rather than 1 unachievable big resolution? Well, again Pick the brain was smart enough to break up that big resolution into 12 “mini-very-possible” habits? Let’s say your huge resolution – the one we tend not to keep – is to “lose weight.” So why not break this huge goal into the smaller steps that constitute it! Don't just say I want to lose weight because once khalto or teta invite us to that huge dinner and the food looks absolutely good, we'll overeat and ditch our resolution.

Instead, this year, I am committing to easier, more achievable goals! All I am going to do is commit to one thing at a time, for 28 to 30 days.  Here are the mini resolutions I am sticking to, some were originally in Pick the Brain's article, but you can find them helpful or you can make up your own!

• January: Only have low-calorie snacks, I'll have to read my labels for this resolution
• February: Drink skim milk instead of whole milk
• March: Exercise 30 minutes at least 3-4 times a week
• April: Bring my lunch to work instead of eating out (my mom will be happy!)
• May: Have whole fruit for dessert
• June: Perform 25 to 50 crunches before going to bed
• July: Have beans and legumes at least 3 times a week
• August: Have a salad before every lunch and dinner
• September: Eat fish, nuts, soy products and legumes instead of red meat
• October:  Skip the soda, alcohol or iced tea
• November: Switch my bread, pasta, kaak, toast and rice to whole grains (am7a kemle) instead of white and refined breads
• December:  Buy me some new holiday clothes to show off what I have achieved!!

One key thing to consider is to keep thee new habits realistic. Don't go putting impossible goals and overwhelming yourself too soon! You'll end up stressed about too many mini goal. Moreover, try to make these habits fun! Turn them into a challenge between you and your friends or siblings or even get a partner! I know my sis will be my partner and coach! When the next month comes, focus on your new goal. You don’t have to keep doing what you were doing the previous month, but you may find you want to, so be it! Long story short, small steps will help you reach your goals rather than large impossible ones! So Happy New Month!

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