WHOEVER WANTS TO REACH A DISTANT GOAL MUST TAKE MANY SMALL STEPS.

Helmut Schmidt

Stick to Your New Year's Resolutions

Most people fail keeping there new year’s resolution, because in most cases they are too drastic and unrealistic.

For instance, for more then 20 years I have been making the same new year’s resolution, and unable to keep it.

Every year, my resolution is; not to tease my wife, cause she hates it! However, for me, in a strange way, it is way to show my affection to her. Therefore, in a few days (or hours) I forfeit my resolution. I guess, it’ just not realistic for me (sorry babe!!!).

On the other hand, I have been able to make small changes in my life (e.g. diet, life-style etc.)  thru the years, and able to stick with them. Each change was small and not overwhelming, and I guess that’s the point I am trying to make!

If you're like the majority of people who make New Year's resolutions, your goals are probably related to health, weight loss, and fitness. Here are some simple strategies to help turn those resolutions into reality.

choose Realistic Resolutions

Picking New Year's resolutions that are not realistic for you is just setting yourself up for failure. Your chances of achieving your goals are much better if they're realistic. Of course, it's always fun and inspiring to dream, but try breaking your ultimate goal up into more manageable, realistic goals that could lead you to it.

Don't Take on Too Much

When choosing your resolutions, don't try to change many different things at once. You'll burn yourself out and won't accomplish any of your goals, leaving you feeling disappointed and defeated. Instead, focus on a few key goals and the steps you need to take to reach them.

Write Down Your Plan

Write out your plan for achieving your goals. Writing down your resolution and the steps you're going to take can be very motivating. It will help you make your goals specific, not vague, and will force you to commit to your resolution.

Set Small, Attainable Goals

If you have a really ambitious New Year's resolution, such as losing weight, running a marathon, make sure that you have smaller, attainable goals with measurable results along the way. They'll help you track your progress and prevent you from getting bored or discouraged. For example, if your resolution is to lose 25 pounds total, your first goal could be to lose 1-2 pounds every week. An added benefit of setting smaller, attainable goals is that even if you don't meet your ultimate goal, you'll still have achieved other accomplishments along the way.

Make Your Goals Known

Telling friends and family members about your goals means that people will be holding you accountable and supporting you along the way. Your goals will also seem more real if you talk about them, rather than keeping them to yourself.

Keep a Journal

Tracking your workout or diet in a journal is a great way stay motivated. Even if no one else sees it, it can help hold you accountable. It's also a good place to record your goals. When you hit a rough patch in your training, you can go back and get inspired by how much progress you've made. Reviewing your positive steps will also make it harder to go back to your old habits. You can use a simple notebook to keep a journal..

Use a Schedule and Get Organized

Deciding to go workout when you feel like it isn't going to work for most people. Look at your weekly schedule and figure out when you're most likely to have the time for training, or whatever activities are going to help you reach your goals. Get everything you need to help accomplish your resolutions, so you can't come up with easy excuses.

Cut Yourself Some Slack

You're going to experiences some setbacks on the road to achieving your resolutions. Don't let one or two slips make you give up. Think of setbacks as opportunities for growth and don't beat yourself for not being perfect. It’s only a failure if you don’t try again!

Try to stay positive and get back on track.

A great resolution for the New Year is to volunteer your time for others, even if just once a week, or once a month. Volunteering is all about commitment and enthusiasm, so choose something that you will enjoy and are interested in.
~Julie Fisher-McGarry

Happy Holidays and a happy and healthy New Year

from the Tugendhaft family!