New Year’s resolutions are fun to make but often difficult to keep. It’s easy to get swept away and find yourself with dozens of resolutions for improvement in every area of life. This will most likely lead to failure, however. When making resolutions this year, follow these simple tips:

• Forget past failures: Dwelling on failed resolutions from past years will make success this year less likely. Ponder past failures only long enough to avoid repeating them.

• Limit the number: Decide how many resolutions are reasonable for you. Take into consideration available time and energy and other responsibilities. Set a sensible limit.

• Allow ample time: Don’t rush through the resolution-making process even if you aren’t done by Jan 1. Take plenty of time to draft resolutions that are meaningful and achievable.

• Focus: Choose which areas you’d like to change. If the change desired is substantial, focus on that alone and save less important resolutions for another time.

• Be realistic: Only make resolutions that are actually doable. If necessary, make several mini-resolutions to accomplish a larger objective. Set goals that are achievable

• Make a plan: Once the resolutions are determined, create a plan for success. Develop a workable timeline with set goal

• Revise, as needed: The plan is simply a guide to achieve the goal. If any part of the plan proves undoable, revise it and continue to move forward.

• Reward success: Build periodic rewards into your plan. Rewarding success is a great way to stay motivated and inspire perseverance when things get tough.

Tags: Holidays, Resolutions New Year

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 31st, 2009 at 10:49 am and is filed under Family, Holidays, Home. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.