By Dr. Suneil Jain, Naturopathic Physician at Rejuvena Health and Aesthetics

With the season of New Year’s resolutions upon us, there is one thing likely to be troubling many—if not all—of us. How do we make them stick?

According to the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology, forty five percent of Americans make a New Year’s resolution but only one out of five of those people actually stick with them.

Make New Year’s resolutions a positive experience this year and use the opportunity for growth and change. By following these helpful tips you can stick to your resolutions long into the New Year.

Be Realistic

Setting goals that are too far from where you honestly are in the present moment is a recipe for failure. When making New Year’s resolutions set modest goals that are not too far away from where you are today. Also, be reasonable about the number of goals you set. Placing too many demands on our willpower causes us to miss targets and throw in the towel prematurely out of frustration.

Find a Partner

You will find yourself trying harder and staying more disciplined with someone watching over you. Enlist a friend, co-worker or family member to join you through your journey. You can also invite others to view your progress and set monetary stakes, creating a sense of accountability that can help you stay on track.

Monitor Your Progress

Take a moment every day to reflect on your progress. Buy a planner or a notebook to help monitor how you are doing. If you encounter any positive and negative steps taken towards your goals, write them down and how you handled the situation. This allows you to reflect on your progress in a real and honest way each day.

Stay Positive

What you direct your attention on determines your success. Focus on what you will do, not what you will not do. If you have a misstep, don’t get discouraged. Instead focus on the positive actions that will help get you closer to achieving your overall goal.

The end of a year is a great time to assess what we have achieved and make resolutions on what we can improve on in our lives. If your New Year’s resolutions from last year have gone unresolved, now is a new opportunity to keep to your New Year’s resolutions and achieve your goals.