According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Healthy Minds Poll, Americans say they plan to make exercise a priority in 2026, with 44% saying they will make a New Year’s resolution about getting fit.
And while resolutions are a great way to motivate yourself this time of year, New York-based psychologist Sabrina Romanoff says you need to change the way you make resolutions.
“It’s not about ‘I’m going to lose 30 pounds,'” she says.
Here’s how she recommends approaching them instead:
Focus on your values, not specific goals
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, it can be difficult to follow certain standards.
Let’s say you decide to go to the gym every day. If you forget even one day, it’s easy to feel like all your resolutions are gone and throw in the towel.
In 2024, less than a month into the new year, 41% of Americans said they kept only some or none of their resolutions, according to the Pew Research Center.
Romanoff’s advice for keeping it going? “Make goals based on your values,” she says.
Instead of saying, “I go to the gym every day,” say, “I want to make sure I exercise every day.” “That might mean taking a walk,” she says. “That might mean stretching when it’s too cold.”
This kind of flexibility and big-picture thinking makes it easier to get things done because it reflects what can actually be accomplished, Romanoff says. In the long run, she adds, it can also boost your confidence because you know you’re consistently living your values.
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