New Year - Same Old Resolutions

As we all know, it is now 2007. A new year, which usually brings “New Year Resolutions”. The problem? We’ve probably all made those very same resolutions year after year. Lose weight, get a new job, clean more, and so on.

I am not saying resolutions are a bad thing. They really aren’t. They can help keep you on track of your goals. Below are a few resolution making tips I have to help keep you from having to make the same old resolutions year after year.

• Keep a resolution journal. If you keep your resolutions in an easy to access place, you will be more likely to want to keep them and to adjust them as you need.

• Make resolutions one month or week at a time. If you make them as goals for one month (or week) instead of over a whole year, you have a better chance to being successful. Chances are you won’t procrastinate on your resolutions as much if you only have a short amount of time to fulfill it.

• Be specific. If you only generalize your resolution, it’ll give you too much to have to fulfill. Be specific. That way you will have no question as to exactly what your goal for that week/month/year really is.

• Keep it reasonable. Think about it. Do you really think you can lose 50 lbs in a month? Probably not (unless you’re on the biggest loser - and still probably not). Could you clean your house daily for a month? Maybe. Keep it within reason or else you will never be successful.

Even if you still prefer to keep your resolutions to just once a year, I hope you keep some of these tips in mind. They can help stop you from having to make the same resolutions year after year. Good luck on your resolutions this year, and I hope you won’t have to make the same ones in 2008.