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Why Do We Make Resolutions?
Share your 2025 goals

After we enjoy too many holiday cookies, drink warm and merry winter beverages with friends and family, let go of fitness routines, and generally become one-with-the-couch at this time of year, many of us then resort to exclamations of determination: New Year’s Resolutions.

How Well Do Resolutions Work?
Ushering in a new year with a commitment to improve ourselves may seem like a good idea, but honestly, the odds of sticking to resolutions are low.

About 80% of new year’s resolutions fail after the first three weeks of January*. That may sound depressing, and trigger the “Why bother?” chord in our minds, but perhaps what we can commit to is developing a better plan that ensures success. As a dear friend of mine always reminds me, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

A Better Plan
2025 may bring different things to each of us. What if we started this new year with a sense of curiosity? What if we asked ourselves some probing questions and wrote down some answers? What if, in the answering of those questions, we found out the real motivations behind our goals and dreams?

For example, ask yourself, “What’s working? And what isn’t working?”; “What new thing do I want to learn this year?”; or “How can I remain curious?” Drill down and instead of saying “I want to lose weight,” ask yourself “What are the most important fitness goals I need to focus on for mobility and happiness as I get older?” The more reflective about what your true aspirations are, the better your ability to discover what is important to you right now. Then you can set the goals!

Here are some of mine:

• Improve my strength to be able to lift a suitcase into the overhead bin into my 80’s because I love to travel
• Improve the function of my previously-injured legs (Do the darn PT exercises!) so that I can enjoy the hiking I love
• Eat 122 grams of protein daily to increase my energy and build the muscle I need to do #1 and #2
• Do something that brings me joy at least weekly
• Do something social with a friend at least weekly

Share on my Instagram or FaceBook pages what small steps you might be taking in 2025!

I would love to hear about them!

Yours in Health,
Dr. Laura

Source: Psychology Today: Why New Year’s Resolutions Set You Up to Fail – Skip the resolutions this year and try new strategies instead.