A New Year, A New Resolution!

Don't set New Year's Resolutions, Take Action in The New Year! It's that time of year again when we start talking and thinking about New Year's Resolutions even though they're old hat and we instinctively know they don't work. Because your friends, family and colleagues may chat about what Resolutions they're going to make, do you find yourself wondering whether to make any? We know that within a few days or weeks, the Resolutions will be forgotten, nothing will have changed and yet for some reason most people still worry about them. So why do we still bother with New Year's Resolutions? First, they're a custom and a New Year ushers in a new start, so what better time than now? There's even a small chance that we may stick to our Resolutions this year, so we have a go. The main reason some people think about New Year's Resolutions is because they want to change things in their life. There's the usual New Year's Resolutions, such as I want to lose weight, change jobs, or earn more money but they tend to be the same ones you've had for years and they're still incomplete. These types of Resolutions are too vague. It's this vagueness, coupled with a lack of action which means that most people don't achieve their New Year's Resolutions. For Resolutions to work, they need to be well thought out and have real meaning. If not, they become a vague item on your "wish list" instead of actually doing something concrete about them. The word resolution comes from 'resolve' and means to make up one's mind or decide firmly. Prior to New Years Day you may think of Resolutions you want to make and probably feel you've made up your mind, but what happens? Probably, very little or even nothing at all. Even though you know that Resolutions don't usually work, it seems that most us still want to make them. Perhaps that's because other people around you do it, so you feel you should follow suit because there are things in your life which you want to be different. The end of a year is a time for clearing out and completing things, to leave us with a clean slate ready to start a new year. There's something about a new year, a new beginning, and a fresh start which encourages us to make New Year's Resolutions. It's a powerful feeling to know you have a year ahead of you and you can choose what you do with it. It's a time for reflection about where you want to go next. What about committing to New Year changes and actions, rather than Resolutions? The key to achieving what you really want in life and business is to take action to achieve those changes. It's the lack of action which stops us from having what we most want. What you want will be different for each individual and may include: · More time in your personal life · Less stress and more fun. · Greater business and career success. · Balance between work and home · Altering your management or leadership style. by Wendy Hearn So I have decided to start a New Year! Last year my main goal was to start exercising again to not feel so run down and tired all the time and I am happy to report that my resolution was fulfilled by my running experience and my achievement of my two half marathon races with my last one being under two hours. I still feel tired a lot of the time, but my energy level is higher than ever. My second goal was to start going to church again and to actually know God and I feel that my sister was a big part in this achievement and so being God leading me to the right church at the right time. I now read the bible, go to church every Sunday, take part in a small group on Wednesday nights and get to enjoy watching my kids grow in God's way. My third resolution was to try to get our money straightened out and get on the road to an uphill climb instead of further in the hole. You might remember me writing last year about consolidating credit cards and paying off dept. Well, we are halfway there this year and I managed to keep an entire year of checking and expenses on Quicken! Of course, Don not being done his fellowship yet, puts the uphill climb at a very slow rate, but I am very determined to not let it get away from us this year. 2010 New Year's Resolutions.. Read a passage from the bible every night and pertain it to my everyday life. To start off right by eating healthier. More fruits and veggies. Thanks to shoprite's great produce sale this week, we are on the right page. Strawberries, clementines, yogurt here we come.I even wanted to start the year off right by taking daily vitamins and knowing that everything I eat might just not be enough to keep my bones healthy and strong. Plan a budget and stick to it...this includes my husband sticking to it too. I decided to start a savings account and try my hardest to not use it. I know this may sound funny when we still have debt to pay off, but I really think in the long run it will help me to be a more savvy spender and be more frugal. I already cut my monthly grocery bill in half from last year. Continue to train hard and even though these blustery, windy, cold days cause me to slack off I am determined to keep my running log complete! I have set a goal to run three half marathons this year and hopefully run a marathon in December. My final resolution is to just Slow down my everyday to do and realize that it is okay to stay in your pj's all day and watch your kids laugh and smile! I hope all of you have set goals or dreams of your own and will find that if you keep them small and realistic they will happen and you will be able to say in 2011 that you had a fantastic 2010! If not then now might be a good place to start answering these questions! 1. What skill do you most want to learn this year? 2. What is one skill you already have that you’d like to improve this year? 3. Name three books you most definitely want to read in 2010. 4. In what specific area do you most want to encourage your spouse? What are some ways you can do this? 5. Think of one of your major life goals. What will you do this year to make you one step closer to reaching that goal? 6. Name your kids’ biggest strengths. What are some ways you can specifically nourish those strengths? 7. Name your kids’ most prominent weakness. What are some ways you can encourage their ability to overcome it? 8. What is one of your strengths? Think of some specific ways you can exercise it this year. 9. What is one of your weaknesses? Brainstorm some ideas on how you can overcome this deficiency. 10. Think of an important relationship aside from your spouse and children. How will you nurture that relationship this year? 11. Name a few ways your physical health could be improved. 12. Name a few ways your family’s financial health could be improved. 13. In what way do you want to draw closer to God? 14. What is one area of home management that frustrates you? Think of some specific ways you could improve your attitude about it. 15. Have you ever created a family mission statement with your spouse? If so, why not do one for this year? 16. Name one specific thing you could do with your spouse this year that will deepen your intimacy. 17. What is something that is continually undone in your life? What will you do to fully complete it this year? 18. In what ways will you be involved with your local community? 19. What is one thing you’d like to accomplish by your birthday this year? 20. Think of three words you’d like to describe your 2010.