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January 5, 2013

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Most of us won't keep those resolutions

By JIM PERRY, Publisher The Daily Register Sat Jan 05, 2013, 10:14 AM CST

— We are all guilty of it. We want to make a new year’s resolution and make it stick.

It’s the new year. That means we all get another chance to get it right. This resolution thing is just the starting gun of a whole new race. It’s a line drawn in the sand. To cross it, we commit to a positive improvement. We can decide upon something that we know we need to be better at. We want to make a positive change in our lives for the upcoming year.

A positive, productive approach can begin with a new year's resolution. According to a national poll, the top three resolutions for 2013 are to eliminate debt, lose weight and develop healthy habits. Other top choices include drinking less alcohol, eating healthy food, getting a better job, quitting nicotine, managing stress and taking that vacation you put off last year. The list goes on. If you have set your intentions on doing the resolution thing, think about it and become resolute about it. Write it down and talk about it. Self improvement is a good thing. Give it your best shot.

However, you need to be forewarned. The odds are not in your favor for success. Research claims most of us blow off our resolution in two weeks or less. The research says that 52% of you are confident that you will be successful in your resolution, however, only 12% will actually achieve their goals. Another study showed that 78% of those who set New Year resolutions fail.

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other..

We may even follow through for the first few weeks of the new year, but then we get busy, its just too hard or we simply just give up. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Most of us have every intention of keeping the resolution all year long. Problem is, the odds are against us.

Here are some ways to keep your resolution as a focused goal for the coming year. One expert, my wife's friend, says to ask yourself, "What are one or two things that I could change that would significantly increase my happiness?" By limiting yourself to just one or two things that you are really passionate about, you have a better chance for success. Be specific. A new year's resolution doesn't have to take a year to complete. Set a specific deadline and don't choose a broad or vague goal to achieve. She also says to visualize yourself being a success and achieving the goal. Visualize how you and others around you will feel and how you life will be affected by this accomplishment.

And now, if you're really brave, write the resolution on a piece of paper for others to see. Make a list or draw a picture and put it where you will see it often. That way you can review progress and stay on track. Possibly, a slight revision later on may be in order to make it happen. Whatever your choices, I wish you success in all you do in the coming year. I look forward to working with you to make Cooke County an even better place for years to come. Happy New Year to all my friends and neighbors! Here's to all of our success in 2013!

This is a repeat of an earlier column by Jim Perry. You can contact him at jperry@ntin.net.

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