How to keep your New Year’s resolutions
 I bet all of you made New Year resolutions. If you’re the type who
likes to ring in the New Year with an engraved list of resolutions, read
on for hints about how best to keep them.
Aim low.
It goes without saying that most New Year’s resolutions are easier
announced (or written) than done – but if you set the bar too high,
you’re doomed from the start. Instead of a sweeping declaration like “I
will lose 30 pounds by April and finally fit into that dress,” target a
goal that’s more attainable, like losing 10 or 15 pounds.
Don’t overload yourself.
It’s difficult enough for the average person to follow through on one
ambitious New Year’s resolution; why on earth would you saddle yourself
with three or four? Choose the most pressing issue at hand-losing
weight, finding a girlfriend, improving your relationship with your
parents-and concentrate on that. Trying to do everything simultaneously
practically guarantees failure across the board.
Tell everyone you know.
One school of thought says that New Year’s resolutions are best kept
to oneself, but look at it this way: the more people to whom you
announce your resolution (say, to get out of your dead-end job by
spring), the more people there’ll be to prod you along if you fall
behind. There’s no shame in seeking help if you can’t accomplish your
resolution on your own.
Reward yourself.
Following through on a New Year’s resolution is rarely easy, so a
little Pavlovian conditioning goes a long way. If you’ve resolved to
shop less, stroke yourself for not buying those shoes by springing for a
steaming hot cappucino at the mall. If you’ve resolved to be nicer to
people, buy yourself a nice jacket after enduring that tedious cocktail
party without delivering any insults.
Wait until spring.
Sometimes the best way to accomplish a New Year’s resolution is to
make it at a time of year of your choosing, rather than the one dictated
by the calendar. May 1 is a good alternate date, since the change of
season will neatly coincide with the change you’re hoping to accomplish
in yourself.
Tips & Warnings
* Don’t sweat the setbacks; persistence is the key.
* Register with an e-mail reminder service to keep you committed (see
Related Sites), or set yourself a reminder on eHow.com.
- ehow.com
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