Popular new year's resolutions episodes from our podcast network, Optimal Living Daily.
Why Do New Year's Resolutions Commonly Fail?
The new year is a great time to reflect on the past year and think about new goals or challenges you’d like to take on. Unfortunately, studies have shown that almost 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail.
Life happens, and there are many reasons why you might start falling short of your new year’s resolutions.
These reasons could be internal, like:
- a low level of motivation
- a negative mindset
- a lack of focus from not getting enough sleep
Or they could be external, like:
- social or family expectations
- an unexpected illness or situation
- digital distractions
Our Episodes on Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions
Instead of beating yourself up over being a failure, stay focused on what you can do today to keep working towards your goals.
These episodes we’ve featured in the Optimal Living Daily network will help remind you of the importance of your resolutions.
If you’re new here, a quick reminder that we currently have six shows that span across personal development, health, business, personal finance, and relationships.
Visit our “start here” page or click on each logo below to learn more about each show!
And remember to DO something daily, no matter how small, to make it a habit.
As the old saying goes (attributed to Friedrich Engels or Ralph Waldo Emerson): “An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.”
Tips to Commit to New Year’s Resolutions
1. Josie Michelle Davis on Clarity With Your Goals
Read the original post or listen to the episode above.
Josie shares how you sometimes have to figure out what not to do in order to figure out what you do want to do. There’s a time to enjoy exploring your options and allowing yourself to decide what you’d like to leave off the table. Josie shares simple strategies on how to explore your ideas in order to find the perfect path to pursue.
2. Leo Babauta on A Definite Guide to Committing to Resolutions
Read the original post or listen to the episode above.
Leo is the founder of the wildly popular Zen Habits website. He can empathize if you’ve found yourself falling short of keeping your new year’s resolutions.
Some of the problems he sees with most resolutions are: people trying to do too many changes at once, expending too much energy at the start, and trying to force yourself to do something that your nature doesn’t find agreeable with for an extended amount of time.
Do you see yourself in any of those points? Leo shares a simple roadmap and website to learn more about his “6 Changes” technique.
3. Leo Babauta on Making This Year Your Best Yet
Read the original post or listen to the episode above.
How do you make this year your best yet? In this wonderfully succinct episode, Leo encourages you to take a minute and zero down on some key focuses for the year, and create a daily ritual to help support you in these goals. This process is how you take action on bigger goals. It could be the best minute you invest in your whole day.
4. Nia Shanks on What to Do Instead
Read the original post or listen to the episode above.
In this episode, health coach Nia Shanks reminds you that “simplicity trumps complicated” when it comes to setting and achieving goals. Learn how to make resolutions an enjoyable activity instead of one interlaced with misery and overwhelm. Doing something enjoyable is half the battle, as changes and habits are meaningless if you can’t keep them up over time.
5. Melani Schweder on New Year's Resolutions If You Are Chronically Ill
Read the original post or listen to the episode above.
Do you have a chronic illness like arthritis or asthma? It might make you feel that a lot of new year’s resolution advice out there is unrealistic or unsympathetic to your situation.
Melani stresses that the resolutions are about you and what makes YOU feel better. She shares a range of self-care tips that will make a difference to your physical and mental health, without the necessity of hitting the gym seven times a week or having abs you can be proud to flaunt on Instagram (and keep in mind filters vs. reality!).
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6. Nick True on 7 Steps to Reach Your Goals
Read Nick's blog or listen to the episode above.
Almost fifty percent of Americans make a New Year's resolution, yet only eight percent achieve their goals, according to a study from the University of Scranton. Why is that? It’s due to the resolutions.
Nick explains the difference between resolutions and goals and outlines why the latter is what you should be focusing on for greater success. As he explains, a resolution means that you decide to do something, whereas goals help give you direction.
7. Steve Kamb on How to Fix Goal Setting
Read the original post or listen to the episode above.
If you struggle with keeping up your initial levels of motivation or inspiration, Steve from Nerd Fitness has some tips for you. He shares three truths in this episode that you NEED to know before carrying on with your goals or resolutions. One of these truths has to do with how human beings are “creatures of habit,” and what you can do to help create your own success instead of leaving it up to motivation which can come and go.
8. Kristin Wong on 5 Methods to Keep Resolutions
Read the original post or listen to the episode above.
Do you spend too much money on something? Kristin used to spend $600 per month eating out. She outlines how she zeroed in on creating a “SMART” (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based) goal while reviewing her budget. Following her advice will help you know exactly where to start and what you’d like your goal to look like. It’ll also show you how to make a realistic goal.
9. Marie Hickman on Frugal Resolutions
Read the original post or listen to the episode above.
Losing weight and getting organized are two of the top new year’s resolutions.
Marie shares how to achieve the top ten resolutions in a frugal manner, because saving money is always a goal! If you want to lose weight, quit smoking, or spend more time with your family, listen to this episode to learn how to do it in low-cost ways. You don’t need to put a dent in your wallet to make long-lasting, positive changes to your mental or physical health.
For example, in the case of spending more time with family, all you might need to do is put down your phone during meal times so that everyone can focus on the meal and catch up on each other’s day.
10. Kelsey Down on Making New Year's Resolutions a Family Activity
Read the original post or listen to the episode above.
Having support and accountability helps you to stick with your goals. So it makes sense with certain resolutions to commit to them as a family.
Whether it’s getting started on minimalism as a family or keeping to the same sleeping schedule, you’re more likely to achieve your goal if your setting and environment are set up for success. You shouldn’t force your family to take part if they don’t want to, but you can build a sense of momentum and unity through common goals that everyone feels invested in.
Kelsey shares eight resolutions that are more easily kept as a family. Make sure you check them out if family activities or building stronger family connections are high up on your list of new year’s resolutions.
Ready to Optimize Your Life?
For tips on how to improve your mindset and more, check out the list of our top personal development episodes with the most downloads per month in the past year.
Personal Development Episodes: OLD Podcast Workbook
If you've enjoyed these episodes, you can dive in deeper with our newly launched workbook which has prompts for you to improve your life in multiple areas.
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