How To Make A Habit Of Resolutions

New Years Resolutions

As the clocks strike midnight at New Year, if not before, attention quickly turns towards setting resolutions. Resolutions are often pitched as an opportunity for new beginnings, a new you, as though the old you just wasn’t quite good enough. Setting resolutions is big business, for example, a diet regime; gym membership or such like are marketed as being worth every cent to change your life forever.

I think it’s great that we use a new year to take stock, re-assess and make changes. We need to do so in a way, however, where we are bought into this change, and not just following the latest craze or fad that society expects of us. Think about any resolutions you have set in the past. Did they stick? You would be in the minority if they did.

Setting resolutions that make dramatic changes are challenging to sustain. The initial enthusiasm soon dwindles, with ‘quitters day’ on 12th January being the day most are likely to give up on their resolutions.

I know all too well the challenges of setting resolutions that stick. I remember setting a resolution to stop eating all foods with added sugar. I would pour over ingredient lists in supermarkets, making my own no added sugar dishes. This was a time consuming exercise, however, and being a time poor Dad of twins, coupled with the lure of leftover festive sugary foods, I soon fell off the wagon.

One resolution that really stuck for me was when I ramped up my yoga practice. I remember it well. It was six months after my boys were born, and I was knackered. I organised weekly Do Yoga With Me classes for work colleagues and had seen DYWM advertise its first 30-day challenges in the run up to new year. I signed up, with this ultimately becoming the catalyst for a life-long yoga journey.

Why did this resolution stick where so many other resolutions have failed?

Here are four tips from my experience that can help you make your resolutions a habit.

1. Do something you enjoy

It’s easy to fall into the trap of setting resolutions that don’t necessarily resonate with you. A new year provides the perfect opportunity for self-reflection. Use the time wisely to think about what you enjoy doing or would love to do. Discuss with family and friends, and write down any ideas. I love practicing yoga, and thoroughly enjoyed Do Yoga With Me classes, so signing up to a challenge felt like the logical next step in deepening my practice. If you struggle for inspiration, Rachel has had a fantastic idea for 2020, where every week, we choose something that we want to do better. Preferably something small, that we may have been meaning to do for a long time, but never got round to it. For example, drink more water, not use single-use plastics or to make contact with a friend.

2. Set realistic expectations

Having figured out what you enjoy, it’s easy to get carried away, and be overly optimistic on what can be achieved. Setting unrealistic expectations increases the likelihood that the resolution will fail. With the Do Yoga With Me 30-day challenge, I had no idea where it would lead beyond the 30 days, certainly not becoming the yoga teacher I am today. Applying the principles of yoga, I set an intention each day to practice yoga, and that was enough to start the ball rolling.

When setting resolutions, consider what’s achievable and over what timescales. Consider what success looks like for you, and the incremental steps to get there.

3. Establish a new routine

Finding time to follow through on a resolution can be challenging. We are creatures of habit, and making any changes to a routine can be disruptive. When I signed up to the Do Yoga With Me challenge, my routine was eat, sleep, work, bottle feed, wind twins, repeat. Squeezing yoga in was going to be a challenge.

What I figured though was that the boys were often restless early morning, with me often laid in bed waiting for them to wake. I found that by getting up earlier, and doing the 30-day challenge, with one ear to the baby monitor worked well. I was able to use my time more productively, and by practicing yoga, I rediscovered my identity and felt a sense of control, equipped for daily life. When setting resolutions, consider the practicalities. Is this something you can do at home, or will you need to travel, and if so, how far? Are there any pockets of time available, and will you need to reprioritize or let go of tasks that don’t serve you?

4. Embrace change in all its glory

Having done the groundwork, you’re now ready to get started. Don’t think that this needs to start on 1st January, and if not, it doesn’t constitute a resolution. In the context of yoga, I set a resolution every day I arrive onto the mat, for example, framed by how I feel in body and mind on a given day. Taking stock of your personal situation means that the resolution best reflects you at that time. The beauty of the Do Yoga With Me 30-day challenge was that I could dip in and out of classes,. This meant that this didn’t become a chore. Once the 30-day challenge was over, I wanted more. As a yogi, we aspire to be flexible in both body and mind, so embrace change, and be excited by where this may take you.

Five things for a man to consider when starting yoga


With over 10 years experience as a yoga practitioner, I have learned that being a male yogi can be a completely different experience from being a female yogi. Knowing what to expect can make all the difference in taking the bold step to attend your first class, but more importantly, in committing to a regular yoga practice.

Here are five things for a man to consider when starting to practice yoga.

Embrace being the odd one out

Although it is becoming increasingly popular for men to practice yoga (at least in the western world), yoga is predominantly a female environment. From the way that classes are marketed to the vivid Lycra yoga pants, it can feel as though we are entering an exclusive club. This can be an uncomfortable experience – and that’s even before setting foot on a mat!

It’s easy to feel like the odd one out when you are surrounded by a room full of super supple women, breathing in sync while we are breathlessly struggling to touch our toes. With experience, I have learned to be proud of my individuality. Let go of focusing on those external factors (such as being the only man in a yoga class or being less flexible than other practitioners!), and instead focus on the benefits of being present on the mat and prioritizing your health and wellbeing.

Do not be afraid to be your true self

As men, we have a tendency to learn from an early age that revealing our vulnerabilities is a weakness if we are to succeed in a (downward) dog-eat-dog world where often only the strongest survive. The way we act can give an impression of a hard shell that does not necessarily reflect our true self beneath. Learning to let go of this image when we arrive on the mat can be such a powerful tool in transforming our lives. Being present in the class provides us with a platform to be truly who we are – and not who society perceives us to be. Embracing this opportunity to be authentic can be a liberating experience. A yoga practice provides the means for us to delve deep within ourselves, become consciously self-aware, and proud of who we truly are.

Play with your edge – and use props

When we consider male role models (particularly sportsmen), it’s often those who succeed at competitive sports that are most widely recognized. We learn that being competitive is the pathway to success. But this can be to our detriment. Pushing ourselves beyond our own limitations can put us at risk of injury – and this applies to a yoga practice, too. We can end up trying to do yoga poses that we believe we ought to be able to do, when our body is telling us differently.

Using a yoga practice to ‘tune-in’ with our own body and mind enables us to play with our ‘edge’. Framing our yoga practice to take account of our aches, tensions, medical conditions or injuries means that we are more likely to practice safely. A yoga studio will typically have yoga props such as blocks, straps and eye pillows for use. Do not be afraid to ask how to use them to deepen into and support your practice.

Find a class that works for you

You may have any number of reasons for practicing yoga. The multi-faceted benefits of a yoga practice mean that it can touch upon and complement many aspects of your everyday life. Perhaps as a father, it is important for you to have some personal reflection and meditation time when so much of your energy must be focused on your children. If you work in a super stressful job, a more restorative yoga practice may work best for bringing calm and clarity to your life. Or, if you are a keen sportsmen, your yoga practice may be about improving your flexibility and developing balanced strength to prevent injuries. There are many different styles of yoga and the options can be bewildering. Go ahead and try different classes and teachers to find a class that works for you.

Commit to a regular yoga practice and reap the rewards

Incorporating any new activity into a daily routine can be a struggle (which explains why most New Years’ resolutions fail by February).

A yoga practice can be a transformative and life changing experience, and that transformation can often be felt after only a few classes. Committing to a regular practice may mean adapting a routine so that yoga can be part of everyday life. So, think about when the best time is for you to practice yoga, and slowly incorporate that practice into your daily routine.

It’s easy for us to be hard on ourselves when we miss a class, and we can discourage ourselves from returning. Being a father of twins and in a high pressure job for the UK government, I’m well aware how everyday life can get in the way of a regular yoga routine. I know that as a teacher, I am just as happy seeing students attend regularly as seeing those that have missed a few weeks before returning to the mat. Their return demonstrates how much yoga matters to them.

Investing in a yoga mat can also be a great way of deepening your commitment to your practice, as it means that you can practice yoga anytime at home. With so many competing pressures for our time, it’s so important to still find those pockets of “me time.” Even if your practice is only taking a few slower, deeper breaths, this can make the world of difference. I have found online resources such as Do Yoga With Me to be particularly beneficial for my regular yoga fix at home when I’ve not able to get to a studio. Take advantage of all that’s on offer and reap the rewards.