New Years Resolutions and how I plan to keep them!

Every year the majority of us make New Years Resolutions, for the forthcoming year. We try to better ourselves in a number of ways and start them all at once and then two weeks later are surprised when we have failed spectacularly.

Every year we hear news stories where we are told that it is better if we don't make resolutions as people who don't make them don't fail and that is better for us mentally in the long term. We are reminded that March 17th (or for some optamists May 4th) is Death of the Diet day when they are started at New Year.

And yet I still feel better if I make a few Resolutions.

I like to try to not fall back in to old habits and so I have a few ways that help me overcome the most common ways of failing at keeping the resolutions I have made.

1. Make them achievable. Even if they are big goals overall break them down into small chunks, that you can do step by step. For this year I am going to lose 104lbs. However I am making it easier on me by breaking it down into losing 2lbs per week. This is a smaller and more easily imagined number, it is also something that is easier to achieve on a weekly basis. By the end of the year I will have lost 104lbs if I manage to lose 2lbs every week.

2. Make them positive. Even if it is something that is negative there is always a way to put a positive spin on things. I am terrible when it comes to housework. I will put off what can be done today to what can be done next week, or maybe even next year. This year I am looking at it from a different angle (Thanks to Flylady) and looking at it of helping my family to be comfortable in our own home AND knowing that a small amount everyday will add up to a lot at the end of the week.

3. Write the goals down. I want to help the environment more and so I want to recycle more. I have written down on a big piece of (recycled) paper above my bin to remind me not to put into my bin anything that can be recycled... it is a long process for us here! In general however I have written my resolutions down. They are on my PC, they are in my diary, they are on my phone, they will be on my blog. Everywhere I look they are there.

4. Tell People. This is normally the hardest part for me. Telling others what I want to change about myself and admitting my guilty secrets. If you are brave enought to tell just about everyone you meet, the next time you see them you can gurantee that their curiosity about you and how you are doing will lead them to ask about how you are doing!

And so here are my resolutions in no particular order!

1.) Lose 104lbs by the end of the year.
2.) Recycle more.
3.) Stick to Housework routines.
4.) Get back to Old Style Habits.
5.) Exercise more.
6.) Be a better Wife and Mother.