Choosing the right resolution

The right resolution should tick off all the boxes. Is it a bad habit you want to break? Is it something new that you want to try? When you know what you want, deciding on the right resolution is easy. Identify what you want. At this part, you should understand that you are doing this for yourself and not because society told you so. That means you can’t make other people’s resolutions your resolution. In life, we all have different goals.

Tip #1: Write what you want

Writing notes by hand increases your understanding of the goal and helps you recall it better because it requires deeper cognitive processing than typing it. “Handwriting is a complex task which requires various skills – feeling the pen and paper, moving the writing implement, and directing movement by thought,” says Edouard Gentaz, professor of developmental psychology at the University of Geneva. To reinforce this, you can also create a mood board so that you can see clearly which direction your goal will go.

Tip #2: Measure your Progress

 

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There’s a well-known quote that says, “A dream is a dream until you decide to make it real.” So make sure that you actually keep track of your activity from the time you started it. Separate the bigger goal and smaller attainable goals for easier progress. Dopamine, which is linked to pleasure, learning, and motivation, is released in the brain when we have even small amounts of success. It makes us want to keep doing the things that made us feel good. Neuroscientists call it “Self-directed learning”.

Tip #3: Reward yourself

 

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Aside from the satisfaction from achieving smaller goals, you can reinforce it more by rewarding yourself. It’s a brain training and reward system is one of the effective positive reinforcements tried and tested even among children. The reward system helps keep your new year’s resolution attainable and sustainable. Make sure that your reward is in line with what you did. After you go for a jog, you should not eat at a buffet. This will make your hard work go to waste. If you want to treat yourself, you can get a spa massage or buy new gym clothes.

This article may not resonate with you, but it resonates with others. Spread only positivity and productivity this coming New Year. Best of luck on your resolutions, ka-tambay!