如何坚持新年决心

It’s almost New Year’s Eve, and that means it’s the season for resolutions. I’ve always been part of the 44% of Americans who make (and also break) New Year’s resolutions; I’m a big believer in the power of small changes to make us happier.

快到元旦前夜了，意味着到了下决心的时刻。和44%的美国人一样，我会做出（并违背）新年决心。我坚信小变化也能带来快乐。

Along the way, and especially since I started my resolutions-based happiness project, I’ve hit on some strategies for helping¹ myself stick to resolutions.

一直以来，特别是在我为了快乐而下决心之后，我发现一些方法能帮助自己坚持决心。

1. Be specific. Don’t resolve to “Make more friends” or “Strengthen friendships”; that’s too vague. To make more friends as part of my happiness project, I have several very concrete resolutions like: “Start a group,” “Remember birthdays,” “Say hello,” “Make plans,” “Show up,” and “No gossip.”

具体化。不要决定“交更多的朋友”或“巩固友谊”，这太模糊。作为快乐计划中的一部分，我的“交朋友”决心非常具体：“建立一个小组”、“记住别人的生日”、"打招呼“、”定计划“、”到场“、”不说闲话“。

2. Write it down. 写下来。

3. Review your resolution constantly. If your resolution is buzzing through your head, it’s easier to stick to it. I review my Resolutions Chart every night.

时常回顾你的决心。如果你的决心“余音绕梁”，那么就更容易坚持。我每天都看一遍自己的”决心章程“。

4. Hold yourself accountable. Tell other people about your resolution, join or form a like-minded group, score yourself on a chart (my method) -- whatever works for you to make yourself feel accountable for success and failure.

建立自我问责制度。告诉给别人你的决心，参加或创建一个”志同道合“群体，用表格给自己打分（我的方法）。任何可以对成功和失败问责的方式都可以。

5. Think big. Maybe you need a big change, a big adventure – a trip to a foreign place, a break-up, a move, a new job. Let yourself imagine anything, and plan from there.

眼光放长。也许你需要有一个大的变化，大的冒险——例如：去异国他乡旅行，分手，搬迁，新工作。允许自己做出任何想象，然后做好打算。

6. Think small. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that only radical² change can make a difference. Just keeping your fridge cleared out could give you a real boost. Look close to home for ways to improve and grow.

小处着眼。不要陷入“只有激进变化才能起到作用”的思维。清理一下冰箱，这也是个进步。就近在家中寻找改善、成长的方法。

7. Ask for help. Why is this so hard? But every time I ask for help, I’m amazed at how much easier my task becomes.

寻求帮助。为什么会那么难？但是每当我寻求帮助，我会惊奇地发现任务变得简单多了。

If you have an especially tough time keeping resolutions, if you have a pattern of making and breaking them, try these strategies:

如果遵循决心对你来说特别艰难，如果制订再违背决心成了家常便饭，那么试一试下面的方法:

8. Consider making only pleasant resolutions. We can make our lives happier in many ways. If you’ve been trying the boot-camp approach with no success, try resolving to “Go to more movies,” “Entertain more often,” or whatever resolutions you’d find fun to keep. Often, having more fun in our lives makes it easier to do tough things. Seeing more movies might make it easier to keep going to the gym.

考虑制定令人愉快的决心。有很多方法能让生活更加快乐。如果你一直在采取“集训”方式而不见成果，那么试试任何你感到有兴趣去遵循的决心，比如”看更多电影“、”更多娱乐“。通常，更多的乐趣可以让难事变得容易。看更多的电影可能必坚持去健身房容易些。

9. Consider giving up a resolution. If you keep making and breaking a resolution, consider whether you should relinquish³ it entirely⁴. Put your energy toward changes that are both realistic and helpful. Don't let an unfulfilled resolution to lose twenty pounds or to overhaul⁵ your overgrown yard block you from making other, smaller resolutions that might give you a big happiness boost.

考虑放弃一个决心。如果你不断建立、打破某个决心，考虑是否要完全放弃它。将你的精力投入那些即现实又有帮助的改变。减肥20磅或翻修荒草蔓生的院子很难实现，并可能阻碍你制定可能给你带来大快乐的小决心。

10. Keep your resolution every day. Weirdly⁶, it’s often easier to do something every day (exercise, post to a blog, deal with the mail, do laundry) than every few days.

每天遵循决心。奇怪的是，天天做某事比隔几天做一次更容易（锻炼、发博客、处理邮件、洗衣服）。

11. Set a deadline. 设定截止日期。

12. Don’t give up if something interferes⁷ with your deadline. 如果有事情和截止日期有冲突，也不要放弃你的决心。

13. “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” Thank you, Voltaire. Instead of starting your new exercise routine by training for the marathon, aim for a 20-minute walk each day. Instead of cleaning out the attic⁸, tackle one bureau drawer. If you break your resolution today, try again tomorrow.

 “不要让完美成为优秀的敌人”。谢谢你，伏尔泰。不要用马拉松来开始你的锻炼活动，每天步行20分钟就可以了；不要清理一个阁楼，转而对付一个抽屉吧。如果今天违背了你的决心，明天去重新来过。

What else? What are some strategies you've discovered, to help you stick to your New Year's resolutions?

还有吗？你还发现了哪些方法来帮助自己坚持新年决心呢？