Resolve {to} Succeed

New Year's Resolutions

By Leah Ingram

Many Americans equate January with a fresh start, thus New Year's resolutions. Chances are if you're drawing up a list, one of these eight popular resolutions appears on it. Read on for some resolution-specific tips to help you avoid falling off the resolution bandwagon.

1. Lose weight/eat better. Try to approach eating positively. Instead of, "I can't have ice cream anymore," try saying, "I'll eat one more serving of fruit this week." "You have to include your favorite foods in your diet, just smaller portions of them," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian in New York City and an American Dietetic Association spokesperson.
2. Exercise more. Being busy is no excuse to be lazy. "You can sneak in exercise by incorporating a brisk walk into your errands or walking around the soccer field while your kids are at practice," says Leslie Spencer, PhD, an associate professor of health and exercise science at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey.
3. Stop smoking. Quitting cold turkey isn't always a good idea. "You should give yourself five days to ‘get ready' to quit," advises Cheryl Heaton, PhD, president of the American Legacy Foundation in Washington, DC. She also recommends using multiple tools — medication, counseling, and support — in your quest to quit smoking. 4. Get out of debt/handle money better. Experts like Angela Stillwell, a financial planner at AXA Advisors in Atlanta, Georgia, advise setting a weekly or monthly budget and then adopting a cash-only spending program. When paying off debt, start with the credit card with the highest interest rate. Review your financial goals on a regular basis and adjust your plan accordingly.
4. Fall in love. You're more likely to meet your soul mate through an activity that you enjoy doing and that is interactive. Not only is this proactive but, says Kathleen Roldan, a spokesperson for Match.com in San Francisco, "When people are relaxed and having a good time, they are much more attractive to other people."
5. Get organized/keep the house in better order. To succeed in conquering clutter, professional organizer Elaine Bloom of Maplewood, New Jersey, suggests setting a timer for 30 minutes and working on one organizing task only. "For some people, tackling a task without a time limit makes it seem so daunting that they don't even get started," she says. FYI, January is Get Organized Month.
6. Find a new job. Don't quit your day job right now, but instead plan to spend a few months working toward your goal. Robbie Miller Kaplan, the author of How To Say It In A Job Search, recommends you start by building a network, via online communities and professional organizations. "You find out about job opportunities in the most innocuous ways," says the author.
7. Have more "me" time. According to Susan Newman, PhD, the author of The Book of No, learning to say no is the best way to carve out more time for you in the New Year. "If someone asks you to help out at a fundraiser and you're afraid to say no for fear of hurting that person's feelings, your ‘me' time will go out the window," she says. And when you say no, you needn't add a reason why you're declining.

Leah Ingram is the author of The Everything Etiquette Book. Last year, she made a resolution to get more exercise and join a gym — she got a dog instead.