For others, it's a time to get right back on the roller coaster in anticipation of a brand new year. A fresh start that promises 365 days better than the previous -- not that the previous wasn't good. Life can always be better, can't it?
One of the traditions that come with January 1st is renewal. That's why many people make New Year's resolutions. They want to shed the bad and embrace the good. Some just want to be better. Others may feel that they can do better.
Most if not many, consider what they want and don't want for their life in the coming year. For instance, some simply want to be happier. Some say they want to lose a few pounds. Losing weight is probably one of the most repeated resolutions.
Another common resolution concerns money, get out of debt, pay off credit cards and never buy on credit again, ever. That's a really good one. After all, buying on credit is stealing from your future.
A third resolution on the lips of many many is to spend more time with family. That's always a good one, but why aren't people already doing that? Anyway... According to statistics, there are 320,064,285 people in America. 217 million are adults over 18; and 45% of those make New Year's Resolutions. A lot of resolvers make more than one resolution so these stats include duplicates:
47% make a resolutions about self improvement
38% focus on weight loss
34% vow to save or make more money
31% promise to do better with relationships
Unfortunately, 24% never do what they resolve to do. 39% of young people in their twenties achieve what they resolve, but only 14% of adults over 50 achieve their New Year's goals. Why do you suppose that is?
The good news is that generally speaking, those of you who do make one or more New Year's Resolutions, one out of ten achieve their objectives.
In other words, it's a good idea to use the beginning of a new year to make a promise to yourself -- because statistics show that you can be a better person simply by making a resolution.
The one thing all New Year's Resolution-makers have in common is their good intentions. Most hopefuls, positive thinkers, goal-setters, want to achieve their goal to do what they resolve to do. You and I both know why that is, don't we?
What's the easiest New Year's Resolution to keep in the coming year?
A good tip for success with a New Year's Resolution is to make just one resolution, not necessarily an easy one. That's cheating. When you make just one resolution instead of a laundry list, it's easier to keep.
Start working on it the first week. If during the year, one month or another, you find yourself forgetting or failing to keep your one resolution, it's easier to get back to it.
You want to be specific and have a deadline. Now, the deadline for a New Year's Resolution is usually the last day of the year, but you might want to set other goals for yourself at other times of life. If you do, be sure you set a deadline. Here are some tips:
Make your resolution specific. In other words, don't just say, "I'm going to lose weight." That's non specific. Say, "I'm going to lose 5 lbs every month until I've lost 30 lbs. by tread milling for 30 minutes every morning." Can you see how being specific makes it easier to do and achieve benchmarks as you move along achieving your goal.
If you resolve to call or email or visit your mother more, be specific. "I'm going to call or email or visit to my mother on the second Tuesday of every month before noon." Now, that's specific.
Everyone, especially a young person in their twenties, knows how important it is to save for retirement. Make a resolution to save more money, but make it easier to achieve during the coming year by making it specific. "I resolve to put 10% of every penny I earn in an interest-bearing savings account using an automated banking feature so it's out of sight before I spend it." It's always a good idea to get in the habit of living on less.
Once you've made your one golden resolution, set up reminders, keep a record, make benchmarks, check and check off, as each month passes. You want to feel good about keeping your resolution. That makes it a whole lot easier to keep going.
Here's a tip you probably already thought of: Set a reminder on your phone or computer. Leave little sticky notes on the refrigerator, by the coffee pot, on the bathroom mirror.
Whether it's your New Year's Resolution or life in general, always be specific about what you want to happen, and set a completion date. You want to feel that there's a deadline for making life better, otherwise you are floating in a fog without end. That's not a good feeling for anyone's life. You want to make your life the best it can be. Write down your golden resolution and make it happen.