At certain times of the year, for example at the start of the new year, or when we are a few kilos overweight again, we resolve to do things differently. We may have good intentions, but we often fail again and our good intentions do not work out, what can we do about this.
Have good intentions
Good intentions often have to do with things we did and no longer want to do. It usually has to do with bad habits that we want to get rid of. Such as: ,today I will stop smoking,, ,tomorrow I will stop eating a lot, or ,later I will have my very last drink,. A tradition has arisen to use the moment, especially around Christmas and New Year, to say to yourself: I’ll stop now!
Failure in good intentions
In practice, maintaining a good intention is quite a challenge. Most people who have set a good resolution will realize after the year has flown by that they have the same New Year’s resolution as the previous one. They started well, things went well for the first few weeks, but things gradually started to deteriorate. ,I’d also like to smoke a cigarette, otherwise it would be so unpleasant,, ,well, one beer, I can have that,, ,oh well, a party, then I can have those chips or nuts once in a while,? Before you know it you are back in your old pattern and you realize that you have failed.
The most popular resolutions
- I’m going to lose weight
- I’m going to quit smoking
- I’m going to live a healthier life
- I’m going to pay off my debts
- I’m going to exercise more
- I’ll be nicer
- I am going to take a course/training
- I’m going to work less
- I’m going to graduate
How can I keep my good intentions?
Most people who have set themselves a good resolution have fallen back into their old patterns within a week. The tips below will help you keep to your good intentions.
- Share your good intentions with many others, such as friends, family, etc. If you have difficulty maintaining your good intentions, it is nice to have people around you who want to give you support.
- Take a good look at what your weak moments are. If you have difficulty turning down a drink at a nice party, avoid such parties in the beginning. You can also bring a friend and ask this person to help you resist the drink, cigarette, etc.
- Reward yourself. Set yourself goals and treat yourself to something nice when you achieve this goal. For example, after a week of not smoking, reward yourself with a nice gift or a nice outing.
- Compliment yourself and share your successes with others. This way you also receive compliments from others. This will increase your self-confidence, making persevering easier.
- After failing once, don’t give up! It is still easy to get used to one cigarette, but if you think ,I didn’t succeed again, I will never succeed, then the end is over and your good intention was not a success.
- Imagine that winning will feel much better than failing. The feeling of failure is not nice, which makes you reach for that cigarette again, grab a drink, or skip the gym because you don’t feel comfortable.