Daily Resolutions

New Year’s resolutions are notoriously hard to keep. Once the new-ness wears off, it seems our drive to fulfill them does too.

Last year my resolution was to notice more moments of joy in my daily life. Sometimes they were big (health scare avoided, stressful situation resolved) but most days these moments were smaller (watching the kids play together, spending time with good friends). I recorded these moments daily — on my phone, a word document, scrap of paper. They are not all in one place, but it wasn’t the actual recording of the moments that was important. I will probably never read them again. The process made me think about these joyful moments, big and small, on a daily basis. And it carried over throughout that day and into the next.

So, I thought why not apply this method to other resolutions. Set goals and make it a priority to keep a daily record of your progress. Even if you never go back to the notes, it makes you more accountable. If only to yourself.

I plan to give it a try with this year’s goals… and keep up with my joyful moments too.

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? What are your tips for sticking with them?

[Girl with diary image via Shutterstock]