The Top 10 New Year's Resolutions for Women

Each year many of us can't wait for that ball to drop, or that clock to strike midnight so that we can start fresh and new. It's a New Year, new day, clean slate, a starting over point for many areas of our lives. This year I have compiled a list of 10 of the most selected resolutions for women.

Quit Smoking - There are over the counter nicotine replacement therapies available if you just can't do it cold turkey. Most smokers try at least 4 times before they are successful at quitting. So maybe if this is the fourth year you have made this resolution it will be the charm. There are also prescription medications that assist in quitting, but you should discuss these with your doctor. There are numerous online support groups and hotlines to call for support. Many cities have support group classes to help people kick the habit.

Lose Weight - A majority of Americans are considered to be overweight. The best place to start with this one is to set reasonable, realistic goals and stay committed. These are the two most important steps in being successful. There are lots of programs and help groups both online and in your community ready to assist and support you in your effort to shed those pounds. There are medical options that you could also consider, but only with the advice of your doctor.

Exercise More - This aids in weight lose, but the goal is to built strength and flexibility. Start a daily routine or join a club that has a program that fits your lifestyle. If you follow a schedule you will be more successful at adding exercising into your daily schedule. After a while it will become just like a regular part of your daily life. The toughest part will be to get started and sticking with it the first month. After that it should become easier.

Save More Money - These economic times reinforce the need for everyone to take charge of their finances and no better time to start than New Year's. Find little things such as, expensive coffees on the way to work or magazine subscriptions you never get around to reading and eliminate them. Make a budget of expenses and stick to it. Only vary from it in cases of emergency. If you forgot to budget in someone's birthday gift, they may have to settle for an e-card that you can send for free this year. Use coupons, shop on sale days only, and buy in bulk whenever possible. When purchasing clothes, buy fewer items that require dry cleaning this will save you money all year long. Cut back on extras you really don't need or use on your cell phone, cable or satellite, or services like On-Star and XM Radio. These are just a few examples of areas you can save money in if you really want to save.

Spend More Time With Family - Make a set, scheduled appointment day that is family day. Whether it's visiting your parents or siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or just spending time at home with your spouse and/or children, this appointment should be used for these people ONLY! They are 99% of the reason we do the things we do in our everyday life, yet we find very little time to spend with them showing and telling them how important they are to us. Spend the time taking a walk, or playing a board game, watch a movie together or just have a good laugh while talking to one another. It really isn't as important what you do with the time as it is to just be there.

Quit Drinking - Even though, New Year's is a time we all toast the upcoming year with loads of alcoholic beverages, it may be the best time for some of us to call it quits. The best way is to start by substituting non-alcoholic beverages with similar flavor to your favorite alcoholic version. You may have to change your favorite restaurants to ones that do not offer alcohol with dinner. You may also have to find new hang outs for the after work get togethers, if you are unable to exercise restraint and stick with a soda when you are with the gang. Avoid putting yourself in a position where you know alcohol will be an issue. If you have a severe problem, professional help is strongly recommended. There are many hotlines, support groups both online and in your community, and professionals ready to assist those in need.

Become More Organized - This first step is to make sure you have the "tools" necessary to be organized. You will need calendars, files, folders, possibly storage boxes, labels, a file cabinet or an according filer, paper clips, stapler and staples, pens, pencils, and possibly a computer, if you wish to keep track of things using your computer. Set aside some time each day to work on your organization project. Commit to using this time each day to work on the project and stick to it. It may take some time to get things organized, but maintaining the system once it's in place will be much easier. File items by category. Mark important dates and appointments in both a pocket planner you carry with you and a wall or desk calendar. You can also schedule appointment reminders in your PC. There are lots of software programs for record management, time management, and accounting that you may want to consider installing, if you are going to use your PC to help keep you organized. It's time to get out of the shoe box style of record keeping and take control of your life. You will be surprised at how much time, money, and space you will save by becoming organized. This example refers to mostly paperwork, bills, appointments and things of this nature, but you can apply the same technique to any area of your life or home that is disorganized, whether it's a closet, drawers, your car, it doesn't matter. Get the tools you need, dedicate the time required and stick to the plan once you have the system in place.

Work Less, Play More - We spend so much time chasing the almighty dollar that we lose sight of what we are even working for. Too many times we cash in vacation time for bonus pay, instead of taking the time off for a little R & R. You need to be resolute right now to taking you days off, don't volunteer to work over or on your day off to meet deadlines for your company. Instead take that time and do something you enjoy, either alone or with someone. It doesn't have to be anything expensive, such as spending the day at an exclusive spa. Try packing a lunch and going to a nearby park. You could go to the mall, if you like that atmosphere, and just window shop, or just spend the day at the library browsing the books and reading magazines. Whatever your form of enjoyment is, there is a way to work it out without breaking the bank. By all means, take your vacation if you have the time coming. If you can't afford to go away for an entire week, just get away for a couple of the days and spend the rest doing things around home that you enjoy. Watch movies, read a good book, have a few friends over to play cards or scrabble. The bottom line is you need and deserve that time away from work. If you don't take some time for yourself you could end up stressed out and being absent on sick leave.

To Be A More Positive Person - It is sometimes difficult to find the silver lining in every gray cloud that comes our way, but we have to be willing to look for it, expecting to find it anyway. You have to make a conscious decision to look at things from a more positive perspective. It is difficult with so many things on the news and in papers that focus on the negative with our country right now. The best thing to do is start small, find 1 single thing each day that was positive. A kind word from someone, a door held open when your arms were full, a beautiful sunrise or sunset, there are many positive things each day we just have to look for them and focus on them. Then start growing your list, find two then three positive things about each day. Pretty soon you will find this becomes easier to do. At the same time that you are focusing on positive things you have to make an effort not to focus on negative ones. Deal with issues in your life if they are negative the best way you can and if there is nothing you can do about the issue, there is no sense in dwelling upon it. After a while focusing on positive life events will become a way of live and second nature to you. Before you know it you will have become a positive person.

Make A Positive Difference In The World Around You - Most of the time, we are so involved in our day to day life that we forget that we are only a small part of a bigger picture. Find something that you feel passionate about and do something in that area to bring about a positive change. Donate time, money or a special skill or knowledge you may have. It doesn't matter if it's half way around the world or half way around the block, you get a better sense of how we are interconnected and share this wonderful world when you are active in something important in the life or lives of others. There are so many worthy causes and individuals in need of someone offering a helping hand, to fight with them, that choosing a cause should pose no problem. Check the internet and your local paper for ideas and call other charity organizations for more information on how to get involved and make a difference.