New Year, New You

Staying up late. Hanging out with friends. Maybe even having a glass or two of something with alcohol. For many that may sound like a typical Friday night but when the celebration is New Year’s Eve it can take on a whole new meaning.

Many like to think of the new year as a blank slate. Put past mistakes in the rear view mirror and seize the opportunity to make resolutions that will help you lead a happier—and healthier—life.

Now maybe you’ve tried making resolutions in the past with little luck. If so, you’re far from alone. Almost everyone has failed at some point or other and that’s OK. In fact, it’s perfectly normal.

Rather than give up, however, the key to success is to identify the resolutions—and strategies—that work for you. After all, research shows people who make resolutions are ten times more likely to change their behavior than those who don’t make any resolutions at all.

Get In It to Win It

“The biggest thing is to make resolutions about changes that are important to you—and not about what your mother, girlfriend or buddies think you should do,” says Suzanne Zoglio, Ph.D., psychologist, coach and author of Recharge in Minutes.

Also, be specific. Rather than “exercise more” or “lose weight,” break these resolutions into smaller—and measureable—pieces. Vowing to walk 20 minutes a day is much harder to ignore than a vague promise to work out.

You should also try to keep it simple. Limit yourself to between one and three resolutions. Greater focus will lead to greater success. And, of course, you can always embark on something new once you’ve conquered your challenges—even if it isn’t January.

Make the Right Choices—For You

While setting New Year’s resolutions can be daunting, the good news is that there are plenty of topics to choose from and no right or wrong answers. For example:

• Live life in moderation. It’s easy to say screw it and throw willpower out the door when it comes to things that are too tempting. Sometimes that’s OK—like taking those extra chocolate chip cookies on occasion—but other times you need to practice restraint. If you drink at all, be sure to drink in moderation. Even things that seem harmless like spending a lot of time on the Internet could lead to you neglecting face time with friends and family.
• Seek support. Whether in person or online, emotional support from others can really make a difference. Also, remember support starts at home—with you. “Negative self-talk seems to be epidemic in today’s world,” says Ronald Kaufman, author of Anatomy of Success. “Never put yourself down, make fun of yourself or beat up on yourself. If you make a mistake or do something you regret, step back and ask yourself how you can learn from it.”
• Save for the future. With so much going on it’s easy to let your financial health suffer. Don’t. Investigate your bank’s programs for paying bills online, automatic transfers and other ways to help avoid having to pay late fees and overdraft charges. Try to start saving more and open a retirement account if you haven’t already. “Look ahead,” says Patrick Smith, a senior vice president in the Internet Services Group for Wells Fargo, the American bank. “When I was in my early twenties goals like attending graduate school, getting married and buying a house were top of my mind. However, all these require forethought and planning.”
• Look at the big picture. “Success and happiness do not come from what we’ve been given but from what we do with what we’ve been given,” says Dr. Zoglio. “Being the best you can be is not about not having challenges but about winning in spite of them.” Read any number of biographies about sports figures, scientists, world leaders and such and they are full of battles with childhood diseases, abusive families, addictions and the like—along with personal triumphs. Volunteer work can be another great avenue for focusing on others instead of yourself and your own circumstances.

Clearly resolutions are not one-size-fits-all and these are just a few of many possibilities. The important thing is for you to evaluate yourself and your situation and choose a few that are right for you so that you can make 2011 your best year yet.