New Year Resolution 2021: To actually keep my Resolutions

Let’s face it with the year we had last year, most of our New Year’s resolutions this year were probably to start putting pants on every day. But in all seriousness, 2020, threw us all for a loop and with most New Year’s resolutions centering around Health and Finance, two issues greatly affected by the current pandemic and its ensuing lockdowns and quarantines, this year keeping our New Year resolutions is more important than ever.

So now that we’re nearly a month into 2021, let’s be honest with ourselves. How many of us can still say that we’re still keeping those resolutions we so emphatically scrawled just before the end of 2020?

Research shows that 80% of New Year’s resolutions are dropped by the end of January. That means if you’re still keeping yours, GREAT JOB, because you’re definitely in the minority.

We all know that it’s not easy to keep resolutions. You know how it is. It’s the end of the year, and you’re all fired up to make the approaching year your best one ever. This is going to be THE year. The year you kiss that debt goodbye and start saving up for something big. The year you finally lose those fifteen pounds that you’ve been promising to shed since forever. The year you kick that habit you should have gotten rid of years ago.

And so, you get out that piece of paper or your favorite note-taking app, and you jot down your list of resolutions. You’re doing it!

But then life happens. The inspiration fades. Obstacles get in the way of the best intentions. You let one thing slide, and then another. And before you know it, those resolutions are as obsolete as VHS tapes.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Yes, you really can make 2021 THE year you turn your goals into reality.

And no, it’s not too late. As anyone who has ever dieted knows, only quitters let failures stay that way. Real champs know that success is only possible if you shake off the dust, forget the past, and keep moving onward toward your goals.

Going forward, make your resolutions stick by keeping them SMART:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely

To bring this home, let’s say you’ve resolved to get fit in 2021, but by the end of January, you haven’t taken a single step toward a more physically healthy life. You can change that to a resolution to go for a 30-minute jog four times a week or to sign up at a gym by March. When your goals are broken down into reasonable and specific steps you can track and measure at predetermined goalposts, you’ll have a bigger chance of actually making them stick. \

Need an extra boost getting started? Shop Dick’s Sporting Goods or Champs Sports discounted gift cards so you can save money on the gear you need to get healthy. After all, the goal is to get yourself to be lighter, not your wallet. And while you’re at it, you can shop our Nordstrom gift cards for the brand new wardrobe, you’re definitely going to need when you reach your fitness goals.

Or maybe instead of improving yourself, your goal is to improve your home or finally tackle that DIY projects you’ve been wanting to do since 2002. Set timelines for your project and tackle each aspect one step at a time, so instead of “My house needs a full makeover,” think, “I’ll redo my living room by April, my bedroom by June, etc.” And before you know it, your home will be as awesome as you are. Worried about the expense of it all, shop Kohl’s and Macy’s gift cards for savings on home décor and Home Depot and Lowes gift cards for all those DIY projects ready to be tackled.

Or let’s say one of your goals for 2021 is simply to save more money. Why not change that resolution to start using CardCash discounted gift cards wherever you shop instead? With thousands of gift cards to your favorite retailers and fantastic kick-back promos for referrals, this is one resolution that will be a breeze to keep.

Now, get out there and start tackling those goals!