New year, new you?
If you're like most Americans, you've probably already made a list of lofty expectations for 2016, including resolutions like, "I'm going to lose weight." Maybe you want to go back to school or save money. Finally reconnect with family?
Starting the new year on a down note can be a bummer, but statistics show self-improvement is probably not going to happen.
According to the Statistic Brain Research Institute, 62 percent of Americans make a New Year's resolution at some point in their life. Only 8 percent are successful.
So, why do resolutioners miserably fail at following through?
"Resolutions don't work," said Margi Bush, a certified career and professional development coach based in Charleston.
According to research, Bush is right. In its studies, the SBRI found 25 percent of resolutioners don't even make it past the first week. Nearly half quit after a month.
For Amy Williams, who has a product line and an eponymous therapy business in Charleston, both of which are focused on living and creating a life you love, resolutioners fail because they don't care for themselves.
"The more you take care of yourself and appreciate yourself - that's the foundation of keeping a resolution," she said.
Bush and Williams say resolutioners often set themselves up for failure, but each says they believe a change in thought processes can lead to success.
"What I encourage people to do, instead of making a resolution, is set goals," Bush said.
"The best resolution you can have is to always care for and love yourself," Williams said.
For Bush, having clear expectations brings much-needed structure into a resolutioner's life.
"Without setting clear goals, there's no clarity on what we want to do," she said, "and people easily lose focus."
In practice, Bush suggests taking a clichéd resolution, like losing weight, and make it a goal, like being healthy.
"Without goals," she said, "when you hit that first obstacle, there's nothing to fall back on."
For Williams, resolutions based on caring for one's self are more rewarding.
For instance, it's hard to lose weight, she said. "But, if you change that to caring about yourself and being your own best friend, you'll change the way you make choices."
When asked what she means when she promotes caring for the self, Williams said vowing to treat one's body and mind with quality food, water, exercise and positive thoughts, respectively, brings better results than saying you want to lose weight.
"People say they want to lose weight, but they don't even have the fundamentals down," she added.
In their practices, Bush and Williams work with clients and coach them through various personal and professional goals.
Bush said she employs a system that uses the acronym SMARTER.
"It's an action plan to help stay focused throughout the year," she said.
Bush explains SMARTER like this:
n Specific (Set clear, concise goals).
n Measurable (Have measurable goals).
n Attainable (Be realistic with expectations).
n Relevant (Be results-oriented).
n Time (Create a deadline).
n Exciting (Have goals that keep you engaged and excited).
n Recorded (Write everything down).
She further suggests narrowing the number of goals to two or three.
"Some people set 10 resolutions," she said. "That's not even attainable."
Instead, Bush asks clients to have at least one personal and one professional goal.
Accountability also is key to keeping a resolution or attaining a goal.
In addition to identifying what you want to accomplish, Williams says keeping good company will help resolutioners follow through.
"Sometimes, we don't know what we want to achieve," she said. "Sometimes, people need help from a coach or therapist - someone who can rejoice in their happiness and successes."
Not everyone can afford a life coach, though.
While Bush and Williams make a living by consulting people who need help, they both said friends and family members can be fine accountability partners.
"So, find a friend or family member who will hold you accountable in a positive way," Bush said. "Find someone you trust, share with them what you want to do, tell them how you want to be held accountable. Statistics show, people are more likely to stick with it if they have accountability."
Bush and Williams said the advice they offer can be applied to more than keeping resolutions. Each said the tips they give are relevant to almost any goal, personal and professional.
Reach Samuel Speciale at sam.speciale@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-7939 or follow @samueljspeciale on Twitter.