TOPIC OF THE MONTH: JANUARY 2008

New Year's Resolutions Made Easy

Making new year's resolutions gives you hop and a sense of purpose in your life.  It makes you feel that you are in control and that you are moving forward in life.  According to a survey, the top 10 new year's resolutions by Americans are:

1. Get out of debt or save money
2. Lose weight
3. Develop a healthy habit (e.g., exercise or healthy eating)
4. Get organized
5. Develop a new skill or talent
6. Spend more time with family and friends
7. Other
8. Work less, play more
9. Break an unhealthy habit (e.g., smoking, alcohol, overeating)
10. Change employment

We all truly mean to make them happen at the beginning, but who has the time to do all this?  Not surprisingly, the survey also reports that 35% of those who responded in the survey are likely to break their resolutions by the end of January.  #1 reason: They are too busy with other things.  Quite understandable.   

Ambition is good, but making realistic goals you can commit to is better.  You can make your new year's resolutions achievable in these 10 easy steps:

1. Take a piece of paper and cut it in 8 equal pieces (you can also use index cards).    

2. On each piece, write down ONE goal you want to achieve in 2008.  Make sure it is realistic, very specific, and measurable.  For instance, if you want to lose weight, write down “Lose 10 lbs” or “Fit in size 6 pants,” instead of just “lose weight.”   Cut up additional sheets of paper if you have more than 8 goals.   

3. Categorize these goals according to different areas of your life, such as Family, Home Improvement, Financial, Career, Health, Mental Health, Educational, and Spiritual. 

4. In doing so, you may find a pile of goals in one area.  -evaluate what you really want and can handle.  Are you ready to focus this area of your life now?     

5. Pick one or two areas of your life you want to focus on in 2008.  Throw away the rest of your goals.  We will revisit them at the end of 2008.  Don’t worry.  You will remember them if they are still relevant to you. 

6. Write out your game plans in detail for each of the goals.  A good way to do this might be to visualize your progress in long (9 months to 1 year), medium (4 to 8 months), and short-term (1 to 3 months) increments.   Write down what you actually need to do to achieve these milestones.   

7. Run a reality check.  How do these activities fit your current lifestyle?  Can you make necessary modifications?   

8. Place your goals and game plans in a visible place.

9. Give yourself two to four weeks to try out your game plan.  Revisit your goals at the end of January and modify them if necessary.  Remember, this does not mean you failed.   You are simply coming up with a different game plan to reach your goal. 

10. Get involved.  Talk to your family, friends, and professionals for tips, suggestions, and moral support.  Objective opinions and emotional support help increase your chance of success. 

Let’s get started today!