TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- The New Year can be a good time to turn over a new leaf.
While you might have big expectations, execution can be different, especially when it comes to approaching it with teens.
Family therapist Jane Marks says there are different way of approaching a New Year's resolution that can actually make it stick.
Here's more of Marks' advice:
1. We can’t change our entire lifestyle so for families and teens sometimes it’s more important to pick just one thing. That one thing could be diet, as you all did last year. It could be eating a little differently or it could be taking time just to simply be still. And it may be that you want to hone in on a bad habit that you have, like drinking three diet cokes a day. But again, start with one item as opposed to ten.
2. Develop a plan. (We talk about this all the time.) If you are going to develop a plan, plan for success. Get everything ready so that it will run as smoothly as possible. For example, if you are going to plan for different kinds of exercise, load your Ipod in that direction. Read and do your research on it. Make sure you have the available resources to execute whatever your plan is.
3. Here is one thing that we have found very successful historically. Take this year to say yes to things you would typically say no to. Just the idea of saying yes to two or three new things, or new asks, may make a huge difference in how this year unfolds.
4. Pick a start date. If you are going to make a sweeping change. The start date doesn’t have to be New Year’s Day, that’s kind of conventional. Pick a day like March 14 or February 2 or Valentine’s Day. Sometimes picking a different date might make a difference in continuity.
5. Anticipate problems. There will be problems. And think about solutions should there be problems in being able to maintain a running schedule or even a faith based schedule. In other words learn to forgive yourself ahead of schedule.
6. Once you make that commitment to follow through, and then on the day that you start, look at it as a launch. Make that launch in a big way. Write it down, start a journal, make a commitment to yourself.
7. If you a working on something that’s really difficult, like getting more sleep, because that really is essential for smooth management among teens, accept the fact that you are going to fail, that there are going to be times when you stay up on that phone and you know you shouldn’t. But if you recommit yourself, remember perseverance is the key to success. Try again to stick to your original commitment.
8. Make sure throughout the year 2016, that you do something every week that lifts your spirits. Watching a funny movie, doing anything that puts you in a good mood is also going to help with your commitment to change.
9. If it’s a challenging goal, make sure you get support from your family and friends so that they can be very mindful of helping you meet whatever these goals are.
10. Finally, it is important to reward yourself in small ways and big ways each time you’re able to hang tough with whatever the goal is. At the end of the week give yourself a small reward or give yourself a big reward. Chances are if your dreams are big this at least will help you towards meeting them.
