How To Stick To New Year Resolutions

Each January, people partake in the tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions. Common resolutions include spending more time with family, eating nutritious foods, and reducing stress. 

For many, New Year's resolutions stir the commitment to reduce or stop drinking. 

34% of New Year's resolutions in 2021 were to quit alcohol. With the estimated 28.9 million Americans who had alcohol use disorder (AUD) in a year, this resolution is in order. 

However, while well-intentioned, many people do not succeed in their New Year’s resolutions. Researchers find that 43% of people will quit their goal by the end of January. Whether you are trying to curb or stop drinking altogether, there are ways to help you set achievable resolutions. 

The Reason Behind Your Resolution

Before diving into the desired result of your resolution, it’s important to reflect on your reasons for wanting to stop or reduce drinking. Some questions to journal about include the following.

• Will stopping drinking lead to better relationships or more fulfilling social interactions? 
• Do you want to improve your mental and emotional well-being by drinking less?
• Are there financial or career benefits you hope to achieve?
• Are you looking to improve your physical health or reduce the risk of diseases?
• Which parts of your life does drinking affect, and how do you wish they could be different?

Clarifying your motivations will help you stay focused and provide a solid foundation for creating realistic and aligned resolutions. Finding the meaning behind your goal can help you stay connected to it. 

Why Do People Break Resolutions?

People break their resolutions for a few reasons. Setting unrealistic goals is a common cause. The new year can be a time to think big, but it is more meaningful to set smaller actionable goals on the way to a larger resolution. Lacking a clear plan of how to get to your goal can get in the way of success. 

A plan that includes resources and tools for cravings can be a game-changer. Shifting your drinking patterns can be challenging and bring up uncomfortable feelings. Instead of pretending these feelings won’t arise when you have a bad day, it’s wise to plan for how you’ll approach them, and what support to utilize in these moments. 

What Can New Year's Resolutions Include?

Your resolution may specify alcohol reduction, alcohol moderation, or alcohol abstinence. Some people expand on their resolutions by identifying how they want life to change by drinking less. Alcohol-related New Year’s resolutions can also include seeking help for these goals through mutual support, a therapist, or a medication like naltrexone. 

Setting SMART Goals

There’s a science to setting and keeping goals. One framework you may be familiar with is the acronym “SMART” goals, which was developed in 1981 and helps people become thoughtful about setting actionable goals. Using SMART goals may help increase your chances of success. 

SMART stands for:

• Specific:
• Measurable:
• Achievable:
• Relevant:
• Time-bound:

Track Your Progress 

Setting large goals without a path of steps to accomplish them can cause people to fail at their resolutions. With this knowledge, it’s helpful to break your goals down and examine the little wins it takes to achieve a large goal.

For example, stopping drinking might require a lot of actionable steps, like planning for triggers and social situations where you’d usually drink. Reflect on these wins, like handling a stressful social encounter without drinking. 

Revisiting a journal or a sobriety app can help you identify your progress. This action can also encourage accountability toward the larger goal, and serve as a useful reflection on days when the smaller steps felt difficult. 

Struggling With Alcohol Reduction Or Abstinence

Setting a New Year’s resolution to reduce or stop drinking is no easy feat. One of the reasons people might not succeed at the resolution is because it’s challenging. While the overall goal might be tough, if you find yourself in a holding pattern where you want to change your relationship to drinking but fail repeatedly, you might need more help. 

Naltrexone is one evidence-based medication for stopping or reducing drinking. When taken an hour before drinking, it can block the euphoric effects of alcohol, helping you reduce your alcohol intake. Some people take naltrexone every day to curb cravings when their goal is alcohol abstinence. 

Lean On Community, Coaches, Or Counselors

To help stick to a resolution, set yourself up for success. Not everyone can achieve sobriety or alcohol reduction without added support in their life. Additional help might include attending an online or in-person mutual support group.

It might involve the assistance of an alcohol recovery coach or addiction counselor. 

Seeking community or the support of a specialist can help you get back on track when you’ve strayed from your goal, or point out any loose ends in your plan. 

Setting a New Year’s resolution of alcohol reduction or alcohol abstinence should be connected to your intentions, actionable, and time-based. It can be helpful to enlist support on your road to recovery. Remember, you don’t need to wait until a new year to stop or reduce your drinking.

Are You Drinking Too Much?

Is drinking affecting your job? Is alcohol harming your health or relationships? Does your drinking worry you? Ever tried to drink less but failed?

If any of this sounds familiar, Oar Health might be right for you. Oar Health offers medication FDA-approved for the treatment of alcohol problems. A daily pill to drink less or quit.

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