A link to The Happiness Project was sent to me by a friend, and the author — Gretchen Rubin — has one of the better approaches I’ve read for crafting New Year’s resolutions that you’ll keep:
1. Ask: “What would make me happier?” […]
2. Ask: “What is a concrete action that would bring about change?” One common problem is that people make abstract resolutions, which are hard to keep. […]
3. Ask: “Am I a ‘yes’ resolver or a ‘no’ resolver?” Some people resent negative resolutions. They dislike hearing “don’t” or “stop” or adding to their list of chores. If this describes you, try to find positive resolutions […]
4. Ask: “Am I starting small enough?” Many people make super-ambitious resolutions and then drop them, feeling defeated, before January is over. Start small! […]
5. 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, and there are many ways to hold yourself accountable. […]
There’s more to each of these tips and links to further detail and tools at the link above.
Personally, I’m not so good at New Year’s Resolutions, but am working out some new strategies to get healthier this year.
So how about you? Have you made any New Year’s resolutions for this year?