How to Make New Year’s Resolutions for Your Golden Years

Last New Year’s 37% of Americans reported they had a goal or resolution they wanted to achieve in the upcoming year.¹ Unfortunately, on average these resolutions only lasted 3.74 months.¹ One way to beat the odds are by creating SMART goals. What are SMART goals you may ask? SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. The format of these goals allows you to create an action plan to accomplish them and track your step-by-step progress along the way. The best way to accomplish larger, long-term goals is to create smaller, short-term goals that you will achieve along the way. Before 2024, keep these 5 guidelines in mind when creating your short- and long-term New Year’s resolutions.

How to Create SMART Goals?

• Specific: Use clear and concise language to define what you are trying to achieve. Make sure your goal is narrow and not broad to allow for effective planning to keep you on track and accountable.  
• Measurable: Identify how you will know your goal is accomplished. Think about a measure with a quantity and quality component. For example, “30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise” with 30 minutes being the quantity measure and moderate-intensity being the quality measure.  
• Achievable: Make sure the goal is reasonable within a given period and your resources.
• Relevant: Keep in mind that your goal should be designed to accomplish what it needs to. For example, your short-term goals should be pertinent and slowly build up to your longer-term goal.
• Time-bound: Determine a specific deadline your goal will be accomplished within. Make sure your timeline is realistic within your busy life.

Improved fitness (48%), weight loss (32%), and improved diet (32%) are all common themes for 2024 New Year’s resolutions.¹ If one of your New Year’s resolutions fall into these categories, then Live Your Life can help! We offer a wide range of services from physical therapy to personal training to dietary services. All our staff are experts in their respective fields and would be happy to guide you on journey to a healthier and happier New Year. Contact us today for a free consultation!

References:

¹New Year’s Resolutions Statistics 2024. Forbes Health. Published December 4, 2023. Accessed December 20, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/new-years-resolutions-statistics/#:~:text=Setting%20a%20New%20Year