Struggling To Make Good On Your New Year's Resolution? Experts Say Now's Not The Time To Wave White Flag
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's now mid-January, so it begs the question: How are your New Year's resolutions going?
If you're like most Americans, apparently you've probably failed by now. But, as CBS2's Alice Gainer found out on Thursday, you can still get back on track.
Gainer hit the streets of the Big Apple to check in with people who started off 2019 with the best of intentions.
"I'm still going strong. I am. But like I said, it's still January, so you never know," said Laryssa Bonacqusti, a tourist from Texas.
"My resolution was to stop biting my nails and being," Lily Fontnot of Alabama said, later admitting, "I've been biting them."
According to Strava, a social network for athletes, Thursday, Jan. 17, is quitter's day. It's the day most people are likely to give up on their fitness resolutions.
"I would say diet, trying to eat better, get healthy," said Dylan Alvarez of Louisiana, adding when asked how things are going, "Terribly. I ate pizza today. It was gone the second day."
"Usually people get really excited about the new year, setting new goals, and then self-discipline comes in. The part where you actually have to invest time and energy," life coach Marianna Lead added.
MORE: Experts Say For Best Resolutions, Focus On Immediate Gains, Not Long Goals
Lead said not to fret. You can get back on track and even do it better when you pick it back up.
Step 1 is to visualize the outcome connected to the goal.
"What size of a dress or suit would you wear when you have achieved your goal? How would you, yourself, appreciate yourself when you look at yourself in the mirror?" Lead said.
Step 2 is putting it in writing.
"Putting it on your calendar," Lead said.
This seems to work for the successful.
"It's good to make a reminder on your phone, so you don't forget," Lead said.
And for smokers trying to quit, be mindful.
"After each inhale ask, 'Do I really need to take another one?' And what it does is it brings the unconscious habit of just doing this to your consciousness," Lead said. "Making you responsible for every single inhalation that you may do, and that clearly kinda kills the joy."
Even if you keep stumbling, keep going. Because tomorrow is another day. Or next year, do what many do -- don't make a resolution.
