Every year, 29% of Americans set New Year resolutions, only 9% are successful at keeping them. Many people’s goals don’t turn into a habit. They set the goal and have faith that somehow it will come true. This is because many people don’t focus on it becoming a habit. They focus on reaching the end of the goal.  To build a habit you need an action plan, and it takes a lot more work than setting a goal. A habit is more long-term. Instead of focusing on making resolutions, we should focus on making healthier habits.

This year, as one of my resolution, I want to start reading more. Every night I read for 30 minutes to hopefully develop a habit of it. It takes 21 days for a person to develop a habit. I hope that I have the patience to stick with it for that long. 

Habits can be simple and easy to achieve. Here are a couple of other examples of healthy habits you can try. One other healthy habit is to be kinder. This is broad, but it could mean you are more open to new ideas, or you give money to a homeless person every once in a while. It is really up to interpretation. Another way you can improve your life is by incorporating fun. You could go on a bike ride every week, go to an amusement park once a month, or go on a walk-in nature once a week. A great habit to stay organized is to make lists. Making lists is not for everyone, but if your new year resolves to be more organized then this is a great habit to start. You could make a list of the food you need for the week, your homework, or the new books you want to read for the year. A habit that could help feel less stressed and more productive is to visualize your day. Every morning you wake up and imagine your day. Visualization of your day allows you to set a goal for your day. Your goal could be to do all your homework, talk to a new person, or do well on a test.

Habits can be big or small, but incorporating healthier ones can help you start your new year off right!