SGPsychStud: Time to Check your New Year's Resolution!!!

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Have you been sticking to your new year's resolution that you have set earlier this year or late last year?  A quarter of this year (January to March) has gone, so you should have at least done some things this year!  Have you done anything yet??  I have previously wrote in 2014 about the SMARTER strategy of setting up the resolution  and some tips to keep to your new year's resolution.

Have you been keeping to it / them??
It's time to check them!!!

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If you have achieved what you have planned, good for you!!!  However, is it time to evaluate and review it to make it more challenging??
This post is targeted to help those who have not achieved or have been progressively working towards their goals and/or New Year's resolutions.

If you have yet to start your plan or yet to achieve what you have planned for this quarter, you may want to investigate why that is the case.
Why are you hesitating towards your goal that you have initially planned? 
Using the Transtheoretical model from Motivational Interviewing, you need to first understand which stage of change you are currently at.

 THE STAGES OF CHANGE  Sample of tasks to complete 
  •  Pre-contemplation (not interested)
  • Acknowledge problem
  • Evaluate self-regulation of feelings, thoughts, behavior
  • Contemplation (considering pros and cons of change)
  • Conduct risk-reward analysis
  • Decide to act
  • Preparation (beginning to increase self-regulation)
  • Set goals and priorities
  • Develop change-plan
  • Action (modifying problem behavior)
  • Implement plan and revise as needed
  • Behavior change for 6 months
  • Maintenance (sustaining accomplishments)
  • Consolidate change into lifestyle
Table from: http://www.centerforebp.case.edu/stories/stages-of-change-co-creator-carlo-diclemente-discusses-practical-applications-of-his-transtheoretical-model-for-health-wellness-and-recovery

The next steps that you should also consider are the your:
  • Decisional Balance
    • This is the balance between the pros and cons in making that decision towards the goal or New Year's resolution.  
    • Does the pros overweight the cons enough such that you are determined to do it?  Or does the the cons overweight the pros such that you are still hesitant on starting on your goal?  
  • Self-efficacy
    • Do you have the ability to take action?  
    • Having self-efficacy or the ability and resources to reach your goal will help in your self-initiation and responsibility towards making that change.
  • Envisioning change
    • Have you envisioned the change and state you would be if you achieve that goal or resolution?
    • Envisioning change produces forward thinking of possible changes that you could have if you achieve that goal and creates motivation and commitment towards your goal.
  • Involvement of significant others 
    • Have you told anyone or involved them in your goal or New Year's resolution?
    • If others are told of your change, you may develop a sense of commitment to that change that you have proposed.  So go tell someone today!
Try out to understand which stage of change you are in and try to do these abovementioned steps!
You will achieve your New Year's resolution!! 

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