I was speaking to a friend of mine the other day and I asked him if he had made any New Year’s resolutions. He said no, but that he tries to achieve a goal every day. He continued saying how he found it ironic that in the month of January, when he would go to the gym, it would be jam packed, then fewer people would start coming after a couple weeks. We discussed the irony along with the philosophy that links New Year’s resolutions and the commitment issues following that. When making a resolution, do you find it difficult to uphold? After a month do you begin to slack off or even stop trying? If these phrases describe you, here are some tips on how to stay true to your New Year’s resolutions.

1. Start small—think of resolutions you think you can actually keep.

This is the first problem when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. Most people don’t recognize that a New Year’s resolution is a change in lifestyle, and changing habits, we all know and understand, takes a conscious effort. Most people reach outside their boundaries and try to change the worst thing they think about themselves. Although this is a worthy cause, for most people it is not plausible, so start off small. Set small goals that lead up to the goal you truly want to accomplish. Moreover, by taking baby steps rather than one large leap, the trip doesn’t feel as difficult.

2. Talk about it—get support.

Accountability can be your best solution. Discuss your resolution with close friends and family who will encourage you; make it a group effort. Teamwork is vital and encouragement from others is definitely key when trying to achieve a new goal. Trying to make a change by yourself is definitely harder than trying to make a change with help. Furthermore, asking for support does not mean that you are a failure; it simply means that your are humble enough to recognize your weaknesses and are wise enough to ask for help. Moral support is one of the most effective ways to stay true to your New Year’s resolution.

3. Don’t beat yourself up—perfection is unattainable.

“Practice makes perfect” is one of the most overstated lies in society, in my opinion. This statement claims that hard work will lead to perfection; however, we all know that this is not always the case. There is always room for improvement, so don’t beat yourself up if you mess up one day and fail to achieve a step towards your New Year’s resolution. Get back up, put a smile on your face, and keep trying. You have a whole year ahead of you to attain the goal you’ve set for yourself. Don’t let one bad day or one mistake let you down.

4. Never give up

As stated before, my friend said that after the first two months, the gym went back to its normal capacity. Don’t let your weaknesses overtake you. You can overcome anything with a little perseverance and diligent effort. Never give up. You are more than capable of achieving your New Year’s resolution. You deserve to make the change you desire to make. You deserve to accomplish that change. You deserve to feel good about yourself. You deserve to live the life you want to live, without any regret. Don’t give in and never give up.

In summary, to stay true to your New Year’s resolution, all you need to do is follow four simple steps: start small, get support, don’t be a perfectionist, and don’t give up. All in all, a New Year’s resolution is simply a goal—a goal that may or may not take a whole year to achieve. Stay true to your goal, believe in yourself, and never give up.