January 24, 2011
Four Ways to Keep New Year's Resolutions Alive
Robert Doyle READ TIME: 2 MIN.
RANDOLPH, Mass., January, 2010 - Come January most people are on a roll with New Year's Resolutions - give back, be more green, lose weight, get organized.
Come March, many of these resolutions have passed as quickly as last year's holiday rush.
Rather than forfeiting these promises to improve one's self, simplify popular resolutions to easily incorporate them into everyday activities with these four tips; this can make one well on his or her way to an accomplished New Year.
Tip - Everyone benefits when helping those in need. Often the volunteer and the recipient leave feeling uplifted, which is perhaps why this resolution is so popular. Rather than letting one's schedule fill up to push this altruistic resolution aside, one way to follow through is to sit down and schedule volunteer activities either bi-weekly or monthly a few months in advance. By planning ahead and adding activities to the calendar, it will be easy to make sure time is spent in 2011 giving back.
Tip - One doesn't have to rebuild a rainforest in order to be greener in the New Year but can make simple alterations to daily routines in order to cut down on energy and waste. One way is to carry a porcelain or stainless-steel travel coffee mug and a reusable grocery bag. By using these alternatives rather than disposable paper and plastic, one can easily be more environmentally-friendly all year long.
Tip - It's all too common to ambitiously tackle extra holiday pounds right after the New Year and be unable to keep up with a strict diet or workout regimen after a few weeks. While overcrowded gyms die down after January has passed, one way to stick to it in a balanced way is to vow to simply exercise 30 minutes to an hour each day with a few days off. Whether taking a walk in the morning, going on a bike ride or attending an aerobics class, every little bit goes a long way and is more likely to last.
Tip - It not only reduces stress but also saves time and energy to have everything in order. A strategic way to honor this resolution is to look for areas that were often a mess in the year past, such as desk drawers, scattered kitchen cabinets and overbooked schedules, and think of new habits or tools to streamline them.
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Reprinted courtesy of WallPops Dry Erase collections. Visit www.wall-pops.com
Long-term New Yorkers, Mark and Robert have also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center, Mark is a PhD in American history and literature, as well as the author of the novels Wolfchild and My Hawaiian Penthouse. Robert is the producer of the documentary We Are All Children of God. Their work has appeared in numerous publications, as well as at : www.mrny.com.
