At the start of every year, we pick up our notepad and pen or whatever new gadgets there are, and we start to set numerous new year’s resolutions. The more bullet points we add, the more excited we become; little do we know setting these goals is the easy part, following through is what throws most new year’s resolutions out the window. It’s become an infamous joke that gym crowds deluge with spring’s arrival only to thin back out in a month or two; as if no one gets through to the end. However, resolutions are a good and productive approach to ditching bad habits and developing healthy ones for the new year.

We don’t see that the problem isn’t our capabilities of sticking through habit development- it’s that we need to stop setting ourselves up for failure by picking achievable resolutions. Change is hard as we humans are creatures of habit. You’ll need motivation, a healthy environment, and solid social support to form long-lasting behaviors.

As the holidays are over within a couple of days, revise your new year plans using the following tips for the highest chance of success.

The first step to success is narrowing down that long list of goals. You can cross out some of them by doing a quick reality check of the commitment they may require. Plan out your goals over the course of 12 months instead of jumpstarting all of them right away which is a recipe for disaster.

Apparently, writing your goals down gives you a sense of accountability; as if you now have a responsibility to pursue them. Write your goals down on a piece of paper and stick it on the fridge, take a sharpie and write them on the bathroom mirror and journal. Journaling, when in moderation, helps you reflect on your progress.

putting down “save money” feels good, but it leaves out too many details; like how? what amount? when?

Your good intentions will easily diminish without some definable parameters. So get down and detailed! instead of “save money” or “work out more”, plan precise, specific, and smaller goals to keep yourself focused and encouraged. e.g. “I’ll save this amount of money every week by cutting down an unnecessary expense.

While sharing your goals with your bathroom mirror and fridge works, they won’t hold you accountable when you fall short on your goals, neither will you. Going public with your resolutions makes it harder to back out of them. Tell your mom, best friend, or anyone you’re comfortable enough with to share.

Your goal’s novelty may wear off three weeks in if not sooner; the excitement and inspiration that motivated your new habit may wear off as well. If it comes to you looking for ways to make your goals happen day by day, it is more likely that the decision comes down to whether you feel like it doing it or not, which in most cases people do not! plot out a weekly/monthly routine to make your habits stick no matter your mood. Attach your new goal to an established activity that is already consistent in your life. For example, if you wish to have a nightly skin routine on a daily basis, plan to do it after you brush your teeth and before you go to bed.

Relapses are more common than you might think so if you’re falling short on one of your goals, you’re not alone! In fact, 75 percent of resolution makers slip up within the first two months. But the way you handle things is what sets you apart. one misstep will not undo all your efforts. Instead of fretting and feeling guilty, acknowledge the setback, what caused it, and how you’ll prevent it from happening again.