The new year is nearly upon us. That means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To some, it’s a fresh start. Whether you’ve been thinking of making a change or trying something new, January 1st can often add some fuel to your fire.

The problem? Most people ditch their new year’s resolutions well before the summer heats up. If you’ve been part of that camp in the past, why not use 2024 to change things around?

To help you actually keep your new year’s resolutions this time, we’ve got four tips. 

Make sure you can measure them

It’s fun to dream big when you’re setting new year’s resolutions. The sky’s the limit and you’ve got a whole year to execute on whatever you plan.

This isn’t necessarily a time to go big or go home, though. The biggest tool in successful resolutions is your measuring stick.  

You might resolve to learn Spanish next year. But what does that mean? More specifically, how will you measure that? Does that mean learning 250 vocabulary words? Or having five conversations with native Spanish speakers before the end of the year?

Whatever you aim to do next year, figure out a way to measure it. 

Break them down

Then, break that measurement into smaller pieces. Maybe you set a resolution to meditate for 52 hours next year. You’re going to be in a tight spot if October hits and you still have 40 hours to cover. 

Break down your resolutions into chunks. Then, make actionable to-dos. With something like that meditation goal, for example, you might want to aim for five hours of mindfulness by the end of January. 

You might even put your chunked-out mini resolutions on your calendar or in your planner — anywhere you’ll get regular reminders to help yourself stay on track. 

Don’t try to do too much

Like we said, new year’s resolutions can be a time to aim high. But ultra-lofty resolutions can leave you feeling overburdened. Think about what’s feasible for you in the coming year. You may even want to base your resolutions on how you want to feel next year, and then add in activities that will help you achieve that feeling.

Instead of setting seven major resolutions, for example, you might just choose one. After all, one completed resolution by this time next year is a whole lot better than seven that overwhelmed you and went completely undone. 

Be kind to yourself. As you set resolutions and make your plan to keep them, make allowances for busyness and other hurdles that may crop up over the course of the year. 

Get accountability and encouragement

If you feel comfortable with it, start chatting with your friends, family members, and coworkers about your resolutions. See if there’s anyone else in your life with similar ambitions for 2024. Ideally, you can join up with someone to be their accountability buddy and cheerleader.

Having someone you can talk with throughout the year does two things. First, it adds in a new level of commitment. For example, you might be more motivated to stick with your goals because you know your friend will ask about your progress.

Secondly, it can make things more fun. If you and your fellow resolver both finish the first few months of the year on track, you might go out to dinner together to celebrate. And, the more fun something is, the more likely you’ll stick with it.

In fact, you might even use cookie dough as a motivator. You can stock your fridge or freezer with Doughp and pull one out as you hit your mini resolutions throughout the year. Talk about a delicious way to stay the course!