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New Year’s Resolution: Keep New Year’s Resolutions!

We all say it: It’s a new year, and this year, I will keep my resolutions. I will start over, be healthier, work harder, do more. However, if you plan on taking the same approach to New Year’s resolutions as you did in 2004, and 2003, and 2002…you may be destined to remain unresolved. A WebMD article gives tips to keep your resolutions in 2005.

The best tip to keep in mind when thinking about your New Year’s resolutions is to keep them small and simple. Many people make the mistake of making resolutions that are too vague to adhere to: eat better, spend more time with family, reduce stress, and organize the house. We’ll show you how to make these vague resolutions easier to keep.

Eat Better

If you are like most people, a sudden and severe change in diet is almost impossible to maintain. If you choose to make a resolution about healthier eating, try making minor changes in your lifestyle:

· Eat one vegetable at each evening meal.
· To get more calcium, drink one glass of low-fat milk at breakfast or lunch.
· Bring something healthy, such as baby carrots or grape tomatoes, to eat at work as a snack or part of lunch.
· Track your progress on paper daily. Make notes about whether you met your goals each day, along with your weight and/or body measurements.

Spend More Time with Family

Do you feel like a stranger in your own home? If your family has so much going on that you never see each other, things need to change. As with eating habits, making small changes to your lifestyle can make a world of difference in your family life:

· Plan regular family activities, such as vacations, game nights or weekend outings. Activities do not have to break the bank. You can set time or money limits, but let the family vote on what game is played or where everyone goes on Saturday.
· Make a goal to have dinner together at least a few times a week. If you have to, set aside specific nights as family mealtime. Be realistic, and keep everyone’s obligations and activities in mind.
· Get involved in community volunteer work as a family. Pick something that everyone is interested in. For instance, if the family loves animals, volunteer at a local animal shelter.
· Honor and appreciate each other. Make sure a parent attends children’s activities, such as games or performances. Also, don’t let achievements, such as a parent’s promotion or a child’s good grades, go uncelebrated.

Reduce Stress

Step one to achieving this resolution is to realize what you have control over and what you do not. You have control over your finances, your relationships and your achievements. You do not have control over the economy, foreign policy or terrorism. Also, keep in mind this baby steps for reducing stress:

· Even if it is only a moment, take time for yourself each day, such as a bath or a few minutes reading a book.
· Don’t get bogged down in the details. Losing sight of the big picture can cause you to become overwhelmed.
· Listen carefully to your body. Don’t overdo it: when your body says enough, it’s enough.
· Sleep! Get a good night’s sleep as often as possible, as sleep has a large effect on emotional and physical health.

Organize the House

Clutter is the main culprit of a disorganized house. However, if you’re overwhelmed thinking about all of the things you would have to do to get organized, keep it simple:

· When you collect the mail, immediately do a “first sort,” which means standing over the trashcan and tossing all of those unwanted flyers, advertisements and catalogues. This lessens the amount of mail that is likely to sit around.
· Buy a holder for organizing mail. Designate spaces for bills, mail to be filed, letters, etc.
· Routine is important. Set a time every week to sit down and go through bills and statements. It is also helpful to set up a specific spot to do this task. Stock your spot with plenty of pens, stamps, address labels and whatever else you might need.
· Have a filing system. You can start by having a file for pending items, such as bills to be paid or rebates to be mailed, and a file for completed items. You can then break down the latter category, such as “credit cards,” “insurance” and “pay stubs.”

One thing to remember when making and trying to keep your New Year’s resolutions is that no one is perfect. You can try your best to keep your resolutions, but you may stumble a bit along the way. Be patient with yourself and keep trying!

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