How to Make Resolutions you’ll Actually Keep

CLEVELAND - Thinking about what you can do differently in the new year?

New Year’s resolutions are tough to stick to, but they can help you ring in 2026 on the right note.

“Setting New Year's resolutions can be very beneficial because it helps promote change, gives us a little bit of hope as well as a goal to work towards,” said Beena Persaud, PsyD, a psychologist with Cleveland Clinic.

When creating your resolutions, Dr. Persaud said it’s best to start small and realistic. 

For goals like weight loss, she suggests committing to weekly movement and exercise at first – over fixating on the scale right away. 

As you reach those smaller milestones, it becomes easier to accomplish bigger things down the road. 

Dr. Persaud said working on a similar goal with a friend can also be helpful, since you can hold each other accountable. 

And if you fall off track for a few days, don’t get discouraged.

“For some reason when we mess up, we are programmed to think we failed,” Dr. Persaud said. “Instead, you want to rest, reset and then resume working toward your goals.”

Dr. Persaud added that if things feel too hectic after the holidays, you don’t have to pressure yourself to start your resolutions right on January 1st.

She said it’s never too late to set a new goal at any point in the year.