With the holidays in full swing, New Years Eve will be upon us before we know it. With Thanksgiving being so late this year, it feels as though it is only a week until Christmas and then it will be 2009! Some people don’t even bother making a New Year’s resolution because they never really stick with them, but as we roll into 2009 in a really tough economy, this year might be the time to start thinking about the future and what you can do for yourself.
When thinking about what you should set as your resolution, here are a few things that you might want to avoid completely…
1. Avoid Unrealistic Goals – It is easy for us to get caught up in our New Year’s resolutions and set goals that are unachievable. This year, try to be realistic with your goals. Everyone has time, money, and a bunch of other constraints that hold them back, so keep all of this into consideration when deciding upon a resolution.
2. Never Say Never – If you don’t think you can do something, then you will never be able to do it. If your New Year’s resolution is something that you have always wanted to achieve, then you need to go into it with an open mind. New Year’s resolutions aren’t meant to be simple…the challenge is all part of the fun and what helps you to grow.
3. Stay Away from the Cliché’s – When making resolutions, people often just follow others or say something like their New Year’s resolution is to lose weight…but how much weight? By when do you want to see results? Steer clear of the cliché resolutions and come up with your own. It might have the same theme as others do, such as losing weight, but make it more specific. Put some thought into your resolution so that when you see results you will feel proud and have a sense of accomplishment.
4. Don’t Go Into the New Year Blind – Research and figure out what your resolution entails so that on January 1st you aren’t already procrastinating against your resolution. Go into this thing head first and with a positive attitude. Doing research ahead of time will take some of the stress out of heading into the New Year. You will already know what you are getting yourself into and will be able to have a plan of action when the time arrives.
5. Don’t Give Up – Easier said than done right? Wrong! If it is something you wanted on New Year’s Eve, it should stick with you throughout the whole year. Yes, you might have ups and downs, but sticking with your resolution is all part of the challenge. If you don’t think you can last the whole year, try setting smaller intervals for yourself that are more accomplishable.
Many people fall under these five categories without even realizing it and before they know it their New Year’s resolution is out the window. Challenge yourself but at the same time make it fun. Do something you have always wanted to do but never had the time to do. A New Year’s resolution can even be something as simple as spending X amount of hours with your kids a week, or learning to cook, or just about anything you can think of.
Stick to it and when you see the results you will feel great. Check out our New Year’s Resolutions group in order to share your ideas and learn from others!
Photo: JF ELIAS
December 31st, 2008 at 10:01 am
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