It’s officially that time of the year again. Many of us think of the New Year as the first page of a brand new notebook. It symbolizes a fresh start and a new beginning. Unfortunately, after a few weeks, that notebook has lost its shine and gets tossed in an old box in the garage. We become comfortable writing ‘2015’, and the excitement of a New Year has officially expired. Our resolutions are shelved for another 12 months. So we’ve compiled a few tips to help make 2015 the year you actually fulfill your New Year’s Resolutions.

1. Set deadlines
   These things aren’t just meant for work! Establishing deadlines for personal aspirations creates a necessary motivation to complete goals and smother procrastination. It’s pretty hard to finish something that doesn’t have a clear ending. Even if your New Year’s resolution is ongoing – like getting fit or reducing stress – create progress benchmarks such as consistently working out 3 times a week by March 1st or committing to meditate 7 minutes a day by the middle of February.

1. Document your progress
   This is especially useful for resolutions regarding health and weight loss. Before and after pictures are great motivators, especially when you’re staring down a German chocolate cake in the grocery store bakery. Get creative with your documentation. Perhaps you wish to quit smoking. Take a picture of the number of cigarettes you smoke per day in the beginning of the year. If you set a goal of reducing that number by 1 cigarette per week, imagine how that picture will look in 4 weeks!

1. Work in numbers
   There’s power in numbers. Enlisting the help of a close friend, family member, or even a coworker will create a stronger support system. It’s easy to break a promise to yourself, but the pressure of working in a team will help keep the finish line in plain sight. Just mentioning your goal to a friend adds a layer of accountability that will help see your goal through.

1. Don't Stop
   Psychologically it may be easier for those working towards a goal to start their journey at the beginning of a new year because of the ‘fresh start’ it represents. Often times, after a few weeks, the January vigor dies and 2015’s New Year’s resolutions get recycled for 2016, 2017, and so on. We all fall short, but why wait an entire year to pick up where you left off? Start at the beginning of a new week. It’s okay if you indulge in a bacon cheeseburger Thursday night, since a green smoothie is around the corner come Monday morning. Your New Year’s resolution could get a fresh start in June!

1. Remember, quality not quantity
   Realistically, the person with 15 New Year’s resolutions will not achieve every goal, and that’s okay! Having an all or nothing attitude is the ultimate ‘resolution killer.’ Reward yourself for growth and never minimize your progress by focusing on goals you DIDN’T achieve.

Share your goals with us on Facebook or Twitter throughout the month of January for a chance to win a $25 bill credit.

Happy New Year from all of us at Frontier!