

3 Questions for Your New Year’s Resolution (Step 1)
A3-Beginner++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsIdeasListen!PublicStep 1Stories ReadOasis

|
By D.S. Aims
ReadOasis Step 1
At the start of every year, millions of people make new resolutions. This means that they promise themselves to do something differently, or to try something new. For example, many people want to lose weight, quit smoking, or change another bad habit. Others want to learn a new skill or get better at an old one, like learning English. It is easy to make a new resolution, but it is usually difficult to keep it. Here are three questions that might help you keep your New Year’s resolution.
- Why do you want to make this new resolution? Make a list of ways that your life will be better if you keep it. And make a list of ways that your life will be worse if you don’t. You can add to your lists anytime. It is important to remember your reasons often. So put these lists where you can read them every day.
- Do you have a good plan for keeping your new resolution? Try to break your big goal into a lot of small goals. And then try to break your small goals into even smaller “baby steps.” Next, decide when you will take these small steps toward your goals. You will probably need to take some steps every day. The smaller and easier the steps, the more likely you will take them.
- Can you find a friend to support you? Your friend can encourage you when you fail and celebrate with you when you succeed. If you are like most people, you will sometimes fail and get discouraged. You might even stop believing that you can meet your big goal. But your friend can say, “You can do it!” And that may be all you need to try and try again. And when you meet your goals, whether small or big, it feels good to hear someone say, “You did it! I knew you could!”
Do you have any habits that you would like to change? Or would you like to try something new that takes a lot of hard work? If so, then maybe you should make a New Year’s resolution. But don’t worry if you can’t start on New Year’s Day. Every day is a new day. And any new day is a good day to make your life better.
Click here to read a Step 3 version of this story.