Goal setters in the north offer tips on how to keep New Year's resolutions
One northern Ontario business owner, Sylvie Lamothe is on what she calls a 'worcation' in Sayulita, Mexico. It was a goal she set a year ago.
"And when September hit and I was looking at December I was just like there’s a three week break where all the work I’m doing is on my computer so I could do it from anywhere," said Lamothe, who is the owner of Rebel Soul in Timmins.
Lamothe told CTV News she is a big believer in writing down what she wants to achieve, like working outside of Canada if she so desires and bringing people together to practice yoga.
“I did my yoga teacher training five years ago,” she said.
“Ever since then I’ve been writing ‘yoga retreat’ in my journal, not knowing when it would happen; how it would happen, and now May 2023, I’m now hosting that yoga retreat."
Jeff Baldock, a psychotherapist in northern Ontario, said something happens to our brains when we write down what we resolve to do.
“It raises dopamine and serotonin levels by simply saying this is the target that we’re going for; it’s also very helpful by the way, to take some time to visualize that,” said Baldock, who is the owner of Framework Counselling Services in Timmins.
According to Time2Play, an online gambling website that conducted a survey of 1,000 Canadians, found that 62% of the respondents felt it was beneficial to make a New Year's resolution, but most of them lost motivation to follow it.
Baldock told CTV News one easier way to honour a resolution is to outline a break down for yourself of how you want to go about achieving it.
“We can set a big long goal for ourselves and taking each step in such a way that it’s reasonable, it’s realistic," he said.
Baldock added you'll be able to enjoy life much more this way and others will notice that too.
Additionally, Lamothe said, if you get off track, try not to get disappointed.
“Look at all the days I did do it, today’s ok to take a day off,” he said. “You know give yourself that grace to show up as a human, you are a human being, you will have bad days.”
Baldock says a friend of his, who was an athlete and an excellent business woman, had said one time; “Give ourselves twenty-four hours to bleed.”
The survey by Time2Play, also revealed that people in Newfoundland and Labrador are the most committed at keeping their New Year's resolutions and claimed to do so for six months.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
BREAKING Craig Berube named as next head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Craig Berube as their new head coach.
A look back at Alberta's record-breaking wildfire season
By the end of the 2023 wildfire season in Alberta, 1,088 wildfires had burned more than 2.2 million hectares of land, and this year, the wildfire season is already in full swing.
Person charged in random assault on actor Steve Buscemi in New York
A person wanted in connection with the random assault on actor Steve Buscemi on a New York City street earlier this month was taken into custody Friday, police said.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Australia's richest woman seeks removal of her portrait from exhibition
Art is subjective. And while many artists long to share their work with the world, there's no guarantee that the audience will understand it, or even like it.
Video appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs beating singer Cassie in hotel hallway in 2016
Security video aired by CNN appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs physically assaulting singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.
Anglers reel in 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off coast of Florida: 'She found my bait'
A group of fishers said it took roughly 20 minutes to reel in this 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off the coast of Florida.