By Amber Mills.

It’s almost that time again!

I know it’s still December but it’s never too early to start thinking about new resolutions for 2014. Each December I start thinking about things I need to improve upon or things I want to learn to do or get better at. Most years my resolutions don’t make it past February but each year I am hopeful they will. Why is it that the majority of us don’t seem to keep our resolutions? Could it be that our resolutions are too ambitious or that we are a little low on willpower?

Here are some tips that might help when you are creating your resolutions for the New Year:

• Limit yourself to one resolution or a couple simple ones. Try and focus on one or two areas of your life that you would like to change instead of trying to change everything all at once. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day!
• Put a time-frame on your resolutions. By having a time-frame for your resolutions you can track your progress. When we don’t feel like we are making progress with our resolutions, we are more likely to give up.
• Be realistic. If we set our goals too high we will never be able to obtain them. If loosing weight has been your resolution in the past and you haven’t succeeded, perhaps you were trying to lose too much weight in a small time-frame. Once you reach your goal, you can start making new ones. Take it one step at a time.
• Have a support system. Choose friends and family that are supportive of you and share with them your resolutions and the goals you set to fulfill them. Ask them to help you as you try to make changes in your life. If you want to exercise more in the New Year, find a friend to exercise with. When we have someone holding us accountable and cheering us on our goals are more achievable.

As you start to think about your resolutions, keep these tips in mind. Reward yourself for keeping your resolutions and don’t beat yourself up over the ones you don’t. Never give up on the resolutions you set to make your life a happier and healthier one this coming year!

Amber Mills – Curriculum Director

“It is my hope that our students walk away from Soma with confidence in their clinical massage skills and their ability to naturally help the body heal.”