Stick To Your New Year's Resolutions

STICK TO YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION
By Liz Davis
As the holidays draw to a close every year, most people begin to contemplate, “What’s my New Year’s resolution going to be this year? While you inevitably grow and make changes throughout the year, there’s something refreshing and definitive about resolving to make changes at the beginning of a brand-new year. Many people even have a standing New Year’s resolution that they commit to anew every January; only to lose momentum somewhere along the way. Diminished resolve and motivation are common for everyone. Let’s take a look at the top 10 New Year’s resolutions people make every year, as well as some tips for making this the year you actually follow through.
Go back to school. There are few resolutions that involve more iniative and willingness than deciding to continue one’s education, whether that means picking up where you left off after high school or college, or taking your lifetime learning plans in a whole new direction. In certain career areas, additional training or certifications can mean increased earning potential. Learning a new language, for example, can make you more desirable to many employers.
There are also plenty of educational options for simply enriching your life and taking new chances. Is there something you’ve always wanted to do but never knew how to, or never felt qualified to undertake? Do you have pages of notes for short stories, or even a novel, but no idea what to do with them? Why not take an introductory writing class once a week at a local community college? The same goes for any skill or art form that you’ve always been interested in. Now is the time to look into educational opportunities in your area, so set aside the time and live out that dream!
Get a better job. Feeling dissatisfied at work is a common complaint. Perhaps you’re living paycheck to paycheck, or you may feel as though another position or employer would provide a more satisfying job situation. Career improvements can take many different forms, so educate yourself about the current climate in your field. Seek out professional role models and ask them how they got where they are.
You may feel professionally stymied, as though you can’t get a foot in the door in terms of moving up you company’s ladder. This is a common source of career frustration. A lateral move within your department might be advisable to begin with, giving you a chance to build a bigger skill set and therefore more bargaining power when you want to advance.
Another helpful option is to join a professional networking site. Spend a little of your spare time scouring online job ads (but not while you’re at work!), and set aside an afternoon or evening to update and polish your resume. If you’re not doing what you feel you were born to do, what’s stopping you from moving in that direction? What skills do you already have that you can leverage in pursuit of a new or better career?
Get in shape. This is likely the most common New Year’s resolution people make. The passing of another year is a reminder that no one is getting any younger.
In fact, most people are accelerating their own decline into premature old age, owing to poor diet and lack of physical activity. Along with quitting smoking and drinking, this New Year’s resolution sees the highest rates of failure. The reason for that? Perfectionism and unrealistic expectations.
Talk to your doctor before planning a complete overhaul of your diet and exercise habits, especially if you have a medical condition that requires special care. Whether you want to lose 100 pounds or you’d simply like to drop that last five and tighten up all over, the only way to achieve lasting results is through small, manageable changes over time. For example, weight loss greater than one to three pounds a week rarely lasts. So take it slow, be kind to yourself and keep trying. Resist the urge to throw your hands up if you miss a day of exercise or eat something you’re “not supposed to.” The focus of any successful wellness plan is overall health and balance, not physical and mental perfection.
An accountability partner is an excellent way to stay motivated. You can remind each other of your reasons for wanting to exercise and eat healthfully. The encouragement and camaraderie of another person who’s struggling with the same challenges are invaluable when striving to make big life changes. The best part is that you’ll be able to congratulate each other on your continuing progress; there’s no better feeling than being thrilled for yourself and someone else!
Make a difference. Making a conscious choice to give of oneself for the benefit of others is a vastly satisfying and potentially life-changing New Year’s resolution. Volunteering is one of the most effective ways to feel useful and connected to others. The key to sticking with a volunteer gig is finding something that fills you up spiritually and emotionally. What do you love to do? What are you good at? Volunteermatch.com is an excellent resource for finding a volunteer opportunity that suits you to a tee.
Go somewhere. Travel is high on many people’s New Year’s to-do lists. Some want to set aside more time for recreation and relaxation with family and friends. Others want to see more of the world and the myriad experience that traveling offers. Where do you want to go? Start by visualizing and researching the destinations you most want to visit. Dream big, be specific and make plans. You may want to open a savings account to help you set aside the funds necessary for your dream trip.
Quit smoking. Lots of folks decide to quit smoking at the first of the year, often beginning with boatloads of momentum and optimism. The key to quitting is preparation and practice. Prepare and educate yourself for quitting. Don’t feel pressured to quit on the first of January unless you’ve developed a realistic quit plan ahead of time. If you cave in and smoke, don’t beat yourself up. Every time you quit is practice for staying stopped; the more you try, the more likely you are to quit for good.
Reduce debt and save money. Money is a common source of major stress. Although any New Year’s resolution is more achievable when you get the facts, figures, pros and cons down on paper, this one in particular works best if you have a specific sense of what you’re dealing with. So break out that calculator, pencil, paper and all those bills and statements. Keep track of all your expenditures for a set period of time. Add up your debts and expenses, and compare them to your income.
It’s easy to panic at what feels like an insurmountable, out-of-control money situation. “I’ll deal with that later” is a common refrain. Take one small, manageable action at a time toward eliminating your debt. Stop using your credit cards—many people report that cutting up cards, though scary at first, is one of the most freeing steps they took toward getting a handle on financial setbacks. Contacting a debt relief agency may be helpful. Simply making an appointment to talk to an experienced financial planner can alleviate a great deal of anxiety about money.
Get organized. Is material chaos making you crazy and keeping you from achieving what you most want and need to achieve? Do you lose time looking for documents and other necessities? Making a New Year’s resolution to simplify, organize and streamline your time and your physical space. Start by asking yourself, “What do I need to accomplish my daily tasks? Be ruthless about eliminating clutter and confusion—you’ll be amazed at the mental space and energy that is freed up when you clear out physical space. Like other major life changes, the way to make the organization habit is to stick to tackle it in bite-sized increments. Organize one drawer today—that’s it. Tomorrow, practice throwing out any paper you come across that serves no purpose. Before you know it, you’ll have a handful of effective organizational habits that you practice with regularity.
Find someone special. With the proliferation of online dating sites and other matchmaking services in recent years, it’s become common for many people to go about finding a suitable partner as they would any other life goal. This approach may or may not be for you, but regardless, the best place to start is with yourself. Overall, are you the person you want to be, and are you happy with what you can bring to the table in a relationship? Before you sign up for that dating service, it’s a good idea to get clear about you wants and expectations when it comes to romance. What are your deal-breakers, and how much are you willing to compromise? Resolve not to settle simply because you want someone in your life. The more honest you are, the more likely you’ll be to find someone you have a real and joyful future with.
Focus on more important relationships. Does New Year’s always remind you that your children (or parents, spouse, or friends) are getting older, and that you really should spend more quality time together? You can’t go wrong making a commitment like this. Like resolving to volunteer or to get healthy, making a decision to focus on the important people in your life is a resolution to be more authentic and involved in your life. After all, this is the only life you have, and the loved ones around you are the greatest gifts of the journey.
It’s never too early in the year (or too late, for that matter) to contemplate, plan and initiate positive change. And while an official New Year’s resolution brings with it a clear opportunity to look to your life from a broader prospective, the reality is that these opportunities are available at all times. So what are you waiting for? As the clock strikes midnight this time around, what new life-changing journey will you begin?