New Year, New You?

The most common resolutions in the United States are:

• Lose Weight
• Volunteer
• Quit Smoking
• Get a Better Education
• Get a Better Job
• Save Money
• Get Fit
• Eat Healthy Food
• Manage Stress
• Manage Debt
• Take a Trip
• Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
• Drink Less Alcohol

Many try and most fail....
Heck, I wanted to have greater patience and do less yelling.... and by noon, well lets just say I was already rethinking my resolution.
It really got me thinking...What's the last New Year's resolution you can actually kept?
If you're better than me and have cut down on your spending, effectively managed stress, or lost ten pounds and actually used that gym membership, than you can stop reading and leave...
For the rest of the honest folk, I am going to try to put things in perspective.

The first step to being successful at your New Year's Resolutions is be being realistic about yourself. First things first: we're all inherently lazy creatures, who often throw in the towel when life gets hard.

I am starting smaller this year...

1. Take a walk from screen time. 

Between 8 & 8, if you need to reach me, CALL ME... unless my kids are sleeping, I am OFFLINE. (This will be a hard one, and may take a learning curve, but I am in it for the long run. I think the benefits will outweigh the discomforts).
If you have a desk job, all day might be a far reach, so try to "log off" at lunch.

2. Embrace A Little Insecurity

I am not supermom, or superwoman or anything other than me... Not perfect, not even close.
Instead of faking it, embrace your limitations. People with a tinge of realistic self-doubt have a motivating force to improve--they're more open to feedback, and tend to make smarter decisions.

3. Skip The Coffee, And Hit the Stairs

Have you ever heard of "micro bursts?" Micro-burst are small buts of physical activity--taking a brisk five minute walk, a run up and down the stairs--that boost your energy levels in the long term.
Turns out the energy-boosting properties of micro-bursts translate to human interaction. So hit the stairs or call your mom the next time you're feeling sleepy instead of reaching for your coffee.

4. Wake Up Without An Alarm Clock

If you've got a couple of kids, this is an easy one! I haven't set an alarm in SIX years!!!! Your body wants to wake up in the morning (naturally), you just need to harness the power of your natural circadian rhythm, and put in your side of the bargain: consistency and trust.You may want to start on the weekend, or vacations and slowly ease your body into forming a routine out of it.

5. Live Zen

Everywhere you go, people are telling you to live a more "mindful life." Pay it Forward and smile more. Appreciate the little things. Gee, the kids spilled all your favorite lotion, BUT they spelled their names in it for the FIRST time!

6. Plan Your Weekends So You Can Relax And Revitalize

It's Sunday night. You're miserable. You haven't done anything this weekend!
If this is a familiar feeling, you're not alone. Bottom line: a good weekend needs a plan.

Want the perfect resolution?

Ask: “What would make me happier?”
It might having more of something good (fun with friends, time for a hobby) or less of something bad (yelling at your kids, nagging of your spouse). It might be fixing something that doesn’t feel right (time volunteering).
Ask: “What is a concrete action that would bring change?”
One common problem is that people make abstract, hard-to-keep resolutions, (Be more optimistic, Find more joy in life). Instead, look for a specific, measurable action, (recycle all the cans at weeks end, watch at least one show with Matt each week).
Ask: “Am I starting small enough?” Many people make super-ambitious resolutions and then drop them, feeling defeated, before January is over. Start small! Little accomplishments provide energy for bigger challenges. The humble resolution you actually follow is more helpful than the ambitious resolution you abandon.
Ask: “How am I going to hold myself accountable?”
Accountability is the secret to sticking to resolutions. That’s why groups like AA and Weight Watchers are effective. (If your resolution is too vague, it’s hard to measure whether you’ve been keeping it. A resolution to Eat healthier is harder to track than Eat salad for lunch three times a week.)