The start of 2025 is over, we can breathe now right? You may have stuck to your New Year’s resolutions so far but is the motivation starting to wane?. This year, January 14 is known as ‘Quitters Day’ – and according to Strava is the point of the month where people are most likely to give up on their new goals.
So why do so many people struggle so early on and what can be done to push past the resistance?. The cycle of change. According to new research by affordable healthcare provider Benenden Health, 71% of UK adults feel confident in keeping their health resolutions in the short term.
However, reasons such as loss of motivation (56%), lack of time (28%), and becoming bored of the resolution (25%), means many of us are falling short on our commitments. We’ve all felt the resistance or lack of motivation when trying to sustain a new habit or let go of one, but what’s actually going on in our minds during this time?.
The ‘cycle of change’ – also known as the transtheoretical model – reminds us that lasting change is rarely smooth sailing. “We go through stages of contemplation, preparation, and action, possibly joined by periods of recurrence or loss of motivation during this cycle of change,” explains registered clinical counsellor and founder of Lotus Therapy, Nilou Esmaeilpour.
“Realising that relapses or a loss of motivation is part of the process can prevent us from feeling discouraged and prepare ourselves to start again.”. Reasons for a lack of resilience may include a fear of failure, past experiences and seeking the familiar feeling of your comfort zone.
