{"id":6561,"date":"2016-12-27T06:00:21","date_gmt":"2016-12-27T11:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.elfster.com\/?p=6561"},"modified":"2023-05-09T10:36:53","modified_gmt":"2023-05-09T14:36:53","slug":"new-years-resolution-gift-ideas-to-help-you-refocus-recenter-and-succeed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elfster.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/27\/new-years-resolution-gift-ideas-to-help-you-refocus-recenter-and-succeed\/","title":{"rendered":"New Year\u2019s Resolution Gift Ideas to Help You Refocus, Recenter, and Succeed"},"content":{"rendered":"
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New Year, New You | Image courtesy Etsy seller LiftYourFork<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A cultural phenomenon in Ancient Rome, throughout the Christian Empire, and in our <\/span>modern, tech-hungry society of today<\/span><\/a>, setting New Year\u2019s resolutions, in fact, dates back to the Babylonians, who lived more than 4,000 years ago. Though they celebrated the new year in mid-March according to the lunar calendar, the Babylonians treated it as a time to make promises and improvements for the year to come. <\/span><\/p>\n

Despite its long history, <\/span>only about 8% of Americans will actually keep their resolutions<\/span><\/a> this year, although 46% of us will maintain them through June. So what makes it so hard to keep up the dedication and commitment for the entire 12 months?<\/span><\/p>\n

According to <\/span>the American Psychiatric Association<\/span><\/a>, the key to making your New Year\u2019s resolutions stick is to start small and change one behavior at a time. I\u2019m as guilty as anyone of starting the year off with a bang by saying I\u2019m going to eat healthier, exercise more,<\/span> and<\/span><\/i> read 30 books in the coming year. But those goals are way too vague\u2014and probably not realistic. So I\u2019m starting 2017 off right with a few gifts for myself, and some resolutions I know I can stick to.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Meaningful Resolution Matters<\/h4>\n

In order for a New Year\u2019s resolution to last an entire calendar year, it has to be something you\u2019re passionate about. Sure, everyone wants to eat healthier and be fitter, but why? Knowing why something is important to you makes it far more meaningful\u2014and far more likely that you\u2019ll hold fast to your goal as the months roll by. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Track your transformation | Image courtesy Etsy seller MedievalJourney<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s not always easy to answer those deep questions, though. That\u2019s why I love journaling. Oftentimes, I\u2019ll sit down to write in my journal and begin by rattling off the events of the day. Then, somewhere in that process, I begin to see things differently. Maybe I\u2019ll notice a particular behavior pattern or a specific thought or emotion that comes up again and again. <\/span><\/p>\n

Journaling is more than just writing down whatever comes to mind. It forces you to acknowledge and make sense of your thoughts in a logical way. Rather than jumping from idea to idea in your mind, it requires you to put those abstract thoughts into a logical string of words, which gives you a deeper level of self-understanding. <\/span><\/p>\n

A research study published in the <\/span>International Journal for Human Caring<\/span><\/i> found that structured, self-reflective journaling promotes better self-awareness and professional growth. In self-reflective journaling, the goal is to answer the following questions every day as honestly as possible:<\/span><\/p>\n