Rosanna Shillolo is a certified yoga instructor, personal trainer, and nutrition coach. She runs a lakeside hot yoga studio in Ontario, Canada, which also offers stand-up paddle board (SUP) yoga classes and guided tours and has produced a 3 part vinyasa yoga video series available online.
Happy 2025! Hopefully, your year is off to a good start. Like most people, you probably rang in the NY with a well-intentioned resolution or two. All too often, as the year unfolds, our resolve fades with each passing month. So, how can we maintain our commitment throughout the year?
Some hacks to help maintain focus and meet your goals
1. The type of resolution matters
Generally, resolutions are one of two kinds: prescriptive or proscriptive. Your success could depend on which category your resolution falls under.
Prescriptive is activation-based or focussed on what you ‘should’ do. Consider a doctor prescribing medication. This is an action step that adds or implements a behavior sensitive to a positive outcome. Goals could include training to complete a marathon or learning a new skill or language.
Proscriptive, on the other hand, is cessation-based, meaning its nature is to eliminate or reduce. Quitting smoking, drinking, or losing 10 lbs of body fat would qualify as such.
We tend to adhere better in terms of prescriptive vs proscriptive goals.
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t set out to reduce harmful behaviours like smoking, but we can try to re-frame a proscriptive goal, so it’s more prescriptive in nature to increase the likelihood of success, i.e., joining a gym to get stronger and healthier is a positive addition that can still result in the loss of weight, but the focus isn’t solely a diminishing of the number on a scale.
Similarly, if the aim is to quit drinking (proscriptive), you can frame this prescriptively by introducing new behaviours, i.e., trying mocktail recipes to replace traditional alcohol drinks or taking up an activity with an inverse relationship to drinking, such as exercise or meditation.
In terms of dieting, probably the most popular resolution, we tend to think of all the ‘bad’ foods we need to eliminate (proscriptive), which can lead to feeling deprived, which then leads to frustration and a higher potential for failure. Instead, focus on new wholesome foods you can add (prescriptive), which feels rewarding since you can discover different options and recipes. This approach can reduce the effort it takes to consume less of not-so-healthy foods as they’ve been replaced with novel alternatives.
While your goal may be to lose weight or reduce cholesterol, we can chart a course that emphasizes addition vs subtraction so we don’t feel like we’re missing out.
2. Write it down
Journalling is a great way to clarify your intentions, track progress, and check in with yourself. Plus, writing down your intentions just makes it feel more official.
It’s not going to be a straight path to success. Expect some backtracking or waning focus along the way, but remember, it is a journey. Keeping a journal will help keep you accountable and allow you to reflect on your path to progress.
3. Schedule it
Set a time each week in your calendar to dedicate to your resolutions. If going to the gym regularly is your goal, look to your week ahead for windows of opportunity and write it in as you would a hair appt. Then give yourself the same courtesy and respect you would your hairdresser, and no last-minute cancellations!
Another helpful idea you can implement daily is to set an alarm on your phone as a reminder to take some time to cultivate seeds and prevent the day from getting away.
If you’re looking to learn a new language or skill, you only need 10 mins a day.
4. Small goals add up
Set mini-realistic goals throughout the year, either weekly or monthly, rather than one or two larger ones for the whole year. The smaller goals will feel less daunting and maintain your motivation when reached. They also add up to the larger ones and help form lasting habits. It’s easier to modify behaviours when progress occurs incrementally. An example of this would be preparing for a marathon by following a running plan to increase your distance gradually. Training at shorter distances and increasing gradually will build the endurance and confidence you need to finish and compete at the full length.
5. Make your ‘feed’ what you need to stay inspired
Algorithms can really work in our favour. If you’re on social media, follow profiles and ‘like’ posts that align with your NY goals. This will provide continuous inspiration, reinforcement and reminders of what you set out to achieve after you counted down the last seconds of ’24.
6. Find power in numbers
Studies have shown we are more likely to succeed when we are supported by others who share our purpose. Sign up for a group class to meet like-minded people to inspire and reinforce your commitment. There are groups for pretty much every activity you can think of; running, knitting, reading, cooking, etc.
Whatever your sight is set on this year, remember to stay kind to yourself and know that success is more likely when coming from a place of love and patience rather than rigid rules and stifling pressure. Believing in yourself empowers a strong foundation to support your purpose. Think of your resolutions as seeds you’ve planted. They must be nurtured by habits that promote their growth. By cultivating a positive approach, as outlined in these 6 tips, you will set a clearer, easier-to-follow course toward making those resolutions a reality.
Read more from Rosanna Shillolo
Rosanna Shillolo, Yoga Instructor, Wellness Coach. Entrepreneur
Rosanna graduated from The University of Guelph with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. She personally experienced the positive impact of exercise and good nutrition both mentally and physically and wanted to help others do the same. She first became certified as a CanFitPro Personal Trainer. Years later, due to injury, she sought out yoga to heal her body and discovered it also helped balance a busy family life raising three children. Living on the lake inspired Rosanna to take her yoga practice to the water and naturally to a Paddle Canada certification as a stand-up paddle board (SUP) instructor to offer SUP yoga classes. Most recently, she was certified as a Precision Nutrition Coach so that she can offer a wide range of wellness services.
