Do you pick a new and unattainable New Year’s Resolution every year, but fail to see it through the first week? If so, know that it is possible to choose a reasonable and achievable New Year’s resolution that will jumpstart your 2017. Though New Year’s Resolutions are annual traditions for some, Statistic Brain studies show that 38% of Americans never make New Year’s Resolutions, and of the remaining 62% only 8% are actually successful. Our community could improve itself in 2017 if we all took the time to sit down, come up with a resolution for 2017, and commit to that resolution.

The top ten New Year’s resolutions of 2016 according to Statistic Brain include losing weight, spending more time with family and friends, saving more money, and spending less money. These are good goals to begin with when choosing a resolution, but they can use more focus for them to be effective. For example, deciding to organize your entire home in one night is not reasonable, especially for a teenage girl who lives with her family. Instead, she could decide to tackle her own room first before helping her other family members organize their own living spaces. It helps to see what can be successfully improved over the course of a year rather than all at once.

Amanda Carrick ’19 has a method to choosing her resolution. “Based on the aspects of my life, I realize what needs improvement from the year and use this to move forward.”

To improve your chances for success, consult a friend or family member about your idea to see if they think it is reasonable. Sometimes we overestimate our abilities when choosing our resolutions, which is not a big deal but it can be easily avoided with the guidance of confidant. Senior Diz Gerwin disclosed her method of choosing a resolution annually: “I choose my resolution with my mom and we keep it together! It is usually something that will make us happier or feel better.” This person can also help you to follow through when you feel like slacking off on a bad day, because no one wants to deal with someone nagging them constantly about a New Year’s resolution.

Another important aspect of a resolution to keep in mind is that it must be realistic; therefore gradual changes are seen as more successful than dramatic ones. Another poll from Statistic Brain shows that though 71% of people that make resolutions annually are able to maintain that resolution past two weeks, only 46% make it past 6 months. Sophomore Taylor Kuncl has personal experience with choosing a resolution that she was not able to maintain. “My New Year’s resolution one year was to eat healthier but once I got past the first three days I gave up and ate a tub of ice cream!” This also relates to the idea of rewarding yourself for maintaining the resolution you choose. For example, if you eat healthy for two weeks, treat yourself to a brownie and/or cheeseburger. Motivation is powerful and will help you stick with the resolution,

If you are still stuck on picking a resolution, one that can be reasonable and effective is implementing the “latte factor” into your life. The “latte factor”, a term coined by David Bach, is the idea that if you refrain from purchasing little things such as a latte from Starbucks every day, then that money will begin to add up over time and result in large savings. So if you want to save up money for a really cute new purse or maybe a car, try skipping your daily trip to Starbucks for a while.