With 2022 fast approaching, many Canberrans might already have a few New Year’s resolutions in mind. Perhaps you want to pick up a new hobby or start reading the news.

After almost two decades as a clinical psychologist, University of Canberra’s Dr Vivienne Lewis notes that “while almost everyone has goals for the New Year, across the board we are terrible at keeping them.” Here is her take on how to ground those ‘New Year, new me’ mantras in reality.

“New Year’s Eve sparks a feeling of new beginnings,” said Dr Lewis. “Often people look for significant dates to achieve their goals. It’s easy to say, ‘This year, I’m going to do X, Y and Z’.”

Dr Lewis says the most common resolutions she hears in her office are losing weight, starting an exercise routine, and going to the gym. Following closely are goals to eliminate bad behaviours.

“Quitting smoking, reducing drinking, those are the typical ones. Then there’s getting a new job, fixing up the house, going for that promotion – goals that seek stability or signal higher financial status.”

“It’s unusual to find someone who doesn’t have goals for the New Year,” says Dr Lewis. So why is it that most of us can’t seem to stick to our resolutions?

“The main reason is that people set the bar too high,” said Dr Lewis. “Extremely unrealistic goals like ‘I’m going to lose 10 kilos’ or ‘I’m going to quit eating sugar’.”

She explains that career goals are more achievable than you might believe, as the path towards them tends to be linear. Health and fitness goals, however, typically fail.

“You won’t see success quickly or immediately, so people can get fed up and give up halfway. Losing weight, in particular, involves so many elements.

“The advice I give my clients is to not set the goal for 1 January. Start working on it now. Or make it the beginning of February. Just not the first. Otherwise, you’re putting all this pressure on a time that we tend to be eating Christmas dinners and enjoying the holidays.

“Secondly, make your goal something you know you can achieve. Look at your past successes. What strategies have worked? What strategies didn’t? Really consider what is realistic for you.

“The best way to learn a habit is to be specific on what you’re trying to achieve. Instead of ‘I want to get fit’ say, ‘My goal is to work towards running 5km’ or ‘I want to comfortably walk up a flight of stairs’.

“If it’s pertaining to breaking a bad habit, cold turkey isn’t realistic for most people. Instead of ‘I’m never going to smoke again’ try ‘I’m going to stop smoking by June’- then go buy the patches.”

Dr Lewis’ final piece of advice is to have a first call of action for if/when you break your resolution.

“Learn from it. Allow yourself to ask, ‘why wasn’t I successful?’ Think about it, then just move on.

“Often people get stuck in the ‘I’ve gone 50 days without’ mindset. They have a slip-up and feel like they’re back at zero.

“But you’re not back at zero. You’re allowed to move past this. Tomorrow will be Day 51.”

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