Happy New Year!

And so, it’s that time again. We look forward to it, and possibly spend months planning - The New Year’s Resolution. We all know the saying: New Year, New You. But, how true is it?

New Year Resolutions can come in many different types. You have the Common, or Popular, ones, such as weight-loss, going to the Gym more often, or even to simply eat less cake. And then, there’s the less common, such as spending more time with Family, or reading more.

Maybe, for those determined few, the chosen Resolution will keep going for a week (or possibly longer), but for the rest of us, we will quickly return to old habits. After all, it’s easier to start a completely new habit, than to break an old one. Not to mention, human beings are, as a general rule, lazy. We like to take the easy option, whether it be to take the car, instead of walking the block or two.

A story I heard a while back follows somewhat along these lines:

A lady decided to start the year by attending the local gym.

To do this, she went in the car, to use the treadmill. Then, as the gym was on multiple levels, she went up the escalator to use the step-machine.

After this, she weighed herself, and pleased with the weight-loss, treated herself to cake in the gym’s café.

Sometimes, simplicity is the best answer, and taking things one step at a time. Work out what your Year End Goal is, no need to make it complicated, and remember that there are twelve months in a year for a reason.

Once you have your end goal, break it down into smaller steps (they don’t have to be twelve, you could set your plan to achieve multiple points each month, or even extend your Ultimate Goal through several years). Keeping a Goal Diary can be a lot of help with this. And, above all - Keep It Real. There’s absolutely no point in setting unachievable goals, it only makes you and others depressed and/or disheartened.