New Year's Resolutions
How to Make Lifestyle Changes in the First Days of the New Year
Instead of setting New Year's Resolutions, resolve to accomplish a goal within the first few days or weeks of the New Year.
Making resolutions for the New Year has been a long-standing ritual/tradition in many cultures. It is said to have started in ancient Babylon and is widely practiced still today. Many times these resolutions pertain to things such as weight loss, spending/money management, exercise, continuing education and ending a habit such as smoking. But even the most heartfelt resolutions are often broken within the first few weeks of the year.
Instead of making resolutions that are intended to last an entire year, why not resolve to do something beneficial within the first few days/weeks of the New Year. Here are a few examples.
- Resolve to go on a juice fast the first three days of the New Year. This will help you start out the New Year with more energy and less toxins in your body. Because this is done in the first days of the New Year, you will have already accomplished something toward weight loss and a more healthy lifestyle.
- Instead of taking the plunge into higher education, why not get your feet wet with a 2-3 week community education class or seminar. You can take classes on Excel or Power Point software, small business management, creative writing, grant writing, piano or real estate investing.
- Make a list of all of your bills. Include on the list how much you pay on a monthly basis and the total amount due on that account. Find the bill in which you owe the least (ignore how much you pay monthly, but focus upon how much you owe entirely on the bill). For example, let’s say you have an account with ABC Furniture. You pay them $42 monthly, and have a total account balance of $222. If at all possible, pay the entire $222 this month. This will leave you with one less bill for 2008, and is a great kick-off for better financial management in the New Year.
- Create or update your resume. Year after year you’ve said it was time to look for another job, or seek that long-awaited promotion. Instead of resolving to do that sometime within the New Year, make strides toward that goal by vowing to have a resume ready for distribution within the first few weeks of the New Year.
- Open a savings account. There is no better time like the present to start saving. Don’t wait until you have $500 to open the account, open it with $50 or even $25. If your goal is to open an IRA or mutual fund, first start with a savings account. Once you’ve saved enough for the IRA/mutual fund, than you can transfer the money. Don’t put off saving any longer. Open that account within the first few days of the New Year and you’ll feel great about it.
Make the first few days/weeks of the New Year count for you. By doing this, you’ll be sure to move toward your desired resolutions and have a better 2008 because of it.
