Making (and Keeping?) New Year Resolutions

This time of year, everyone is talking about New Year Resolutions. Some of us like making resolutions and others may feel like they aren't helpful. In fact, for some of us, making resolutions (and not being able to keep them) makes us very frustrated and unhappy and question them altogether.

In the New York Times Smarter Living Guide, Jen A. Miller describes ways in which we can "make (and keep)" our resolutions. Here are a few excepts from her column. Click here to read the entire piece.

Pick the Right Resolution - You’ll give yourself your best shot at success if you set a goal that’s doable — and meaningful too....Your goals should be smart — and SMART. That’s an acronym coined in the journal Management Review in 1981 for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
Create Your Plan - Your end goal won’t just magically appear. Here are ways to figure out how to get there....Because you won’t just wake up and change your life, you not only need a plan for what to do, but also for what roadblocks you’ll come across along the way.
Leap Over Resolution Hurdles - No one’s perfect, and your quest for your resolution won’t be either. But you can get back on track....when you are first starting on your journey toward your resolution, instead of looking at the big number left to get there, look at what you’ve already achieved.
Find a Community - You don’t need to do it alone, especially if your resolution starts in the new year when you’ll have plenty of company in trying to make a life change.
If You Miss Your Goal - You didn’t fail. You’re your own experiment, so here’s what to try on your second, third or 20th attempt....Feel free to start fresh....and be kind to yourself. Instead of “I blew it. What’s the point now?”…say, “That was a bad decision, but a good learning opportunity. What’s my next step?”