The physicians of Texas Medical Association would like to offer you some tips on how to keep those resolutions and have a healthier New Year. The most important point to consider when making New Year's resolutions is to decide if you truly are willing to make the effort to kick a bad habit or start a healthy one. Making a decision to change just because it's New Year's Day isn't enough to keep you motivated for long. Lasting change means being prepared to make sacrifices. If you're resistant to making the necessary sacrifices, ask yourself why.
Many people resist change because they're afraid of the unknown.
Unhealthy habits may be harmful and detract from your quality of life, but they're familiar, and for many that's reason enough to keep them. The best way to overcome this fear of the unknown is to make yourself fully aware of the consequences of not changing your current habits, and the advantages of adopting new behaviors. Make a list of the pros and cons of smoking, for example. Seeing the consequences of a bad habit in black and white may make fear of the unknown less imposing and make change more desirable. Once you have decided you are ready to make that New Year's resolution and stick to it, you need to develop a plan of action and make that plan a priority.