How to Create Doable New Year’s Resolutions for You and Your Family

Making New Year’s resolutions in recovery usually has to do with self-improvement on some level, and in most cases, it is connected directly to staying sober. For this reason, it can be an incredibly powerful thing if a New Year’s resolution turns into a reality throughout the rest of the year, helping you to feel better, have more viable relationships, and improve your sense of stability in recovery.

About 41 percent of Americans say that they usually make New Year’s resolutions every year, and 17 percent say that they occasionally do, but only about 72 percent keep those resolutions through the first week, 68 percent in the second week, and around 58 percent for one month or longer.

Are you going to be one of the success stories in 2018? Here are a few things you can do to make sure that your New Year’s resolutions are doable this year:

• Keep it simple. It can be tempting to really shoot for the stars and resolve to get that degree you always wanted or commit to losing a significant percentage of your body weight, but the more successful resolutions are the ones that are one-step commitments to yourself that you can actually accomplish in 2018.
• Make sure it is something that you genuinely want to do. If you resolve to train for and run in a marathon but you cannot stand running, then your resolution is very unlikely to become a reality. Instead, choose something you have always wanted to do.
• Focus on behavior rather than outcome. That is, instead of saying, “I want to lose 50 pounds,” instead say, “I want to get to the gym for an hour three times a week.” You can track heading to the gym. You accomplish your resolution every time you step on a treadmill or pick up weights. But tracking a number on the scale can be tricky and may undermine your sense of accomplishment, especially if it fluctuates.
• Track your behavior. Write down every time you go to the gym and how long you stay, if that is your goal. If your goal is to eat healthier, note what you are eating, how many servings of vegetables you have, or how few times you eat fast or fried foods.
• Stay sober. No resolutions will serve you well if you are not sober and committed to your recovery.

The Most Important Resolution of All

If you are living with a substance use disorder and/or if work-related trauma is making it difficult for you to implement and sustain positive changes in your life and relationships at home, the best resolution you can make for the new year is to undergo treatment that will help you to stay sober for the long-term. American Addiction Centers’ First Responder Lifeline Program provides a comprehensive treatment program designed to meet the unique needs of firefighters in crisis due to co-occurring trauma and substance use disorders at locations across the country that include:

• Recovery First in West Palm Beach/Hollywood, Florida
• Greenhouse Treatment Center in Dallas, Texas
• Desert Hope Treatment Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
• Clinical Services of Rhode Island in Greenville/Portsmouth/South Kingstown, Rhode Island
• Laguna Treatment Hospital in Aliso Viejo, California
• Sunrise House Treatment Center in Sussex County, New Jersey