A new year brings a new start, a fresh chance to begin with a clean slate. A new year encourages us to get rid of things that no longer bring us joy or to add more of what does. Many of us are excited for 2021 to bring a lot of change and promise into our lives. It's time to make your list of resolutions to help you tackle the year ahead.

Think of it as a goal

A resolution is sometimes described as a firm decision to do or not to do something. Take a little pressure off of yourself and think of it as just a goal for yourself. A New Year's resolution is a tradition in which a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior, to accomplish a personal goal, or otherwise improve their life. 

Don’t make resolutions just for the sake of doing so

If your goals are vague with no sense of direction, you’re less likely to stick to them. If you set resolutions you know you’ll never stick to, you’re just setting yourself up for failure. You may add stress from not accomplishing your goal, and that defeats the whole purpose of setting resolutions. Don't be too ambitious. Fill your resolution list with easy, good-for-you goals…even if your list is only one goal long. With even one tiny lifestyle tweak, you’ll feel better and live better.

Tips for making resolutions you're more likely to keep

According to the American Psychological Association, there are a few tips for making resolutions stick:
- Start small.
- Change one behavior at a time.
- Talk about it.
- Don't beat yourself up.
- Ask for support.

We're here for support

Whether you are dealing with alcoholism or just have a desire to drink less, you may include alcohol in your list of resolutions. If your resolution is to stop or reduce drinking and you’d like help holding yourself accountable, contact Smart Start of Louisiana to see how we can help with voluntary use of our alcohol tester tools known as interlock devices.