Stevie Mack's 10 Ways to Keep Your 2010 New Year's Resolutions

Many of us make resolutions for New Years because that's been the handed down tradition. Rarely do we make New Years decisions! That's one point I wanted to make right off. Make some New Years decisions and follow through with them as if they are executive orders! Here are my Top 10 Ways to keep your 2010 New Years Resolutions/Decisions:

1. Don't be unrealistic
The best way to fall short of your goal is to make your goal unrealistic. If you promise to never eat your favorite foods again, that can be a little unrealistic. Instead, you should resolve/decide to not eat as much as you have in the last year.

2. Plan in advance
Making your resolution/decision on New Year's Eve is waiting until the very last minute. Plan you resolution/decision at least 3 months before December 31.

3. Draft your plan
Have some methods to deal with the temptations that will come up to skip your exercise class or have a cigarette. Joining a support group or calling on a friend for help can be very helpful.

4. Make a list of the "pros" and "cons"
It's always helpful to visually see a list of items on paper to keep you motivated and strong. Definitely keep your list with you so you can refer to it when you need help.

5. Make it public
Keeping your resolution/decision a secret will only open the doors to temptation, because after all, no one else knows about it right?

6. Self Reward
Celebrate your success by rewarding yourself with something that you enjoy, something that does not contradict your resolution/decision. If you've been sticking to your promise to eat right, your reward could be going to a movie or out dancing with friends.

7. Keep Track
Tracking the success you make toward keeping with your resolution/decision will help keep you motivated. Keeping a written record in a book or online blog will help you stay on track and possibly motivate others to do the same.

8. Be flexible
Beating yourself up over a slip will not help you achieve your goal. Do your personal best each day, and take each it easy, you want to at least live to tell about it.

9. Hang in there
It's a scientific fact that it takes approximately 21 days for a new activity to become a habit, and it takes about 6 months for it to become part of your normal personality.

10. If at first you don't succeed...
If your resolution/decision has run out of steam by March, that's no reason to give up! Start your plan all over from the beginning. There's no reason you can't make a renewed New Year's resolution/decision any time of year...who ever said you can't do that?