Ten Guidelines to Achieve Your New Year's Resolution

How many times have you said, "This is the year; I am resolved to lose weight."? Do you find yourself pledging that this will be the year that you spend quality time with your loved ones? Most people have goals and aspirations with the coming of a new year. However, when February arrives those goals and resolutions are unfortunately a disappointing memory. How can you keep the committments that you want so dearly to keep? I have formulated ten tips to help you achieve successful results with your personal new year's resolutions.

1. Write the resolution down on a 3x5 card, and post it in a central area of your home. You might try posting the card on the bathroom mirror or above the kitchen sink.

2. At the beginning and close of each day, read the resolution aloud, affirming your desire for success.

3. Get a small notebook. Title the notebook, "My Diary of Success."

4. At the beginning of every week, write in your notebook a short-term goal for the week that will contribute to the long-term success of the resolution. For instance, if you wanted to lose 30 pounds this year, your goal for week one might be to lose 3 pounds.

5. Everyday of the week record in your notebook your struggles and triumphs with your weekly goal.

6. At the end of the day, ask yourself this question, "What did I do today towards achieving my short-term and long-term goals?" Record the answer in your notebook. If your short-term goal was to lose 3 pounds, you could record that you did 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise that day.

7. If you find yourself becoming weary in your quest to reach your resolution, go back to "My Diary of Success" and look at past accomplishments of previous weeks.

8. Find two friends or family members that will keep you accountable. Explain your resolution to each person. Ask them to call you or meet with you every week. During your conversation or meeting, tell them your struggles and your triumphs.

9. Get rid of distractions that will prohibit you from reaching your goal. If your resolution is to spend more time with your family, you may want to limit or quit other unnecessary, time-consuming events.

10. Expect success! Never dwell on thoughts of disbelief. Have faith in yourself.