Ohio State nav bar

Skip to main content

The Ohio State University

  • Help
  • BuckeyeLink
  • Map
  • Find People
  • Webmail
  • Search Ohio State
  • Home
  • Food
  • Family and Relationships
  • Money
  • Mind and Body
  • Webinars
  • Authors

Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

Topics:

The Ohio State University
You are here: Home / Mind and Body / Be Kind to Yourself

December 29, 2017

Be Kind to Yourself

As we near the end of another year and gear up for the next one, many people will make New Year’s resolutions. Are you one of them?

In one national survey, 41% of Americans stated that they usually make resolutions, but less than 10% of those who made resolutions in 2017 felt like they were successful in achieving their goal. One month into the New Year, over one third of resolution-makers had already abandoned their goals.

For those who stuck it out, what was the secret to their success? Positive self-talk may be one strategy.

We’re all familiar with the golden rule “Treat others the way you would like to be treated.” But what about treating yourself the way you would like to be treated? Too often, especially when we are working to make lifestyle changes, we berate ourselves with negative self-talk. For example, perhaps you are trying to be more physically active and you skip an evening workout. Do you find yourself saying “I’m lazy” or “I’m a failure”? Next time you catch yourself in negative self-talk, stop and ask yourself two questions:

  1. Is what I said true?
  2. Would I say the same thing to someone else?

The answer to the first question is probably not. Falling off track one time does not make you a failure. There is always opportunity to try again the next day. All-or-nothing thinking and overgeneralization are often a part of negative self-talk. If you find that you are saying these sort of things to yourself, try to find a middle ground and an opportunity to encourage change.

If the answer to the second question is no, it’s time to replace your negative self-talk with more encouraging words. Try to find the silver-lining in your situation and give yourself some grace. If you find that you are consistently berating yourself, it may be helpful to spend time with positive people to learn how to adopt a more positive outlook.

Another strategy for sticking with your New Year’s resolutions is to phrase them as SMART goals and write them down. Set goals for yourself that are:

set your goals

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Action-oriented and attainable
  • Realistic
  • Time-bound

In the national survey on New Year’s Resolutions cited above, people who explicitly made resolutions were ten times more likely to attain their goals then those who did not make clear and specific resolutions. So, set clear goals, write them down, and tell yourself “I can do it!”

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

WRITTEN BY: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Franklin County

REVIEWED BY: Shannon Carter, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County

SOURCES:

  • Davidson N.K. & Moreland, P. (2012). Self talk: What are you telling yourself? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-blog/self-talk/bgp-20056570.
  • Statistic Brain (2017). New Year’s Resolution Statistics. https://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/.
  • Treber, M. (2013). Set a Wellness Goal for the New Year. Live Healthy Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2013/01/07/set-a-wellness-goal-for-2013-4/.

Categories: Mind and Body
Tags: goal setting, New Year's resolutions, self-talk

Avatar for Jennifer Lobb
Avatar for Jennifer Lobb

About Jennifer Lobb

Jenny Lobb, MPH, RD, LD, is the Family and Consumer Sciences Educator for OSU Extension in Franklin County. She specializes in food, nutrition and wellness and likes to teach on topics such as mindfulness, healthy eating and active living. Jenny lives in central Ohio with her husband and son and their two rescue dogs.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

pen and paper

A Day of Mini Mindfulness Practices

ten minute timer

Top Ten Tips for Practicing Mindfulness

Finding your path to wellness webinar series presented in Spring 2024

mug

Winter Slump to Winter Wake Up

Follow Us!

  • Facebook

Footer

Need Assistance?

If you are having issues logging into the site, need assistance with updates, or need to request an alternate format please send an email to the EHE Service Desk at servicedesk@ehe.osu.edu stating the nature of your issue and we will assist you. Thank you.
Are you a Live Smart Ohio Author? Log in here!

Categories

  • Food
  • Family and Relationships
  • Money
  • Mind and Body
  • Webinars

Follow us!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
The Ohio State University
FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN ECOLOGY
COLLEGE OF FOOD, AGRICULTURAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

© 2025 Live Smart Ohio - Family and Consumer Sciences | The Ohio State University - College of Education and Human Ecology | Accessibility | Privacy Policy

%d