Happy new year.
Every year people seem to make new and improved resolutions to act upon, but do they really achieve it? It seems many don’t because it’s too hard for them to keep or simply because they lack the determination. But for the ones that do complete their resolutions, Well, Congratulations. And the one that don’t, try harder and you’ll get em’ next time.
All those successful people you know and read about did it so why can’t you, both are human right? Success isn’t a fable, but it also doesn’t grow trees. There’s an old saying “The Secret to success is hard work, that’s why it’s still a secret”. It’s not that easy but remember, it’s also not that hard, a well envisioned plan, and hard work will surely be successful. For this year, Let us complete that list with that magic plan and hard work and be positively sure that this year’s resolution list is a wrap up.
Below are this year’s top ten resolutions, you may find many on the list familiar with your own previous listings, but the difference is that this year you’re going to achieve it. Write them down and review them, and most importantly believe in yourself.
· 1. Lose weight
· 2. Quit smoking
· 3. Manage debts
· 4. Save more
· 5. Get organized
· 6. Spend more time with family and friends
· 7. Help others
· 8. Dream holiday
· 9. Reduce stress
· 10. Get a better job
1. Lose weight
Adding more pounds to the scale may seem a lot easier than losing them. But despite the way it feels, losing that weight is not a baffling process. It is a simple process of doing math, losing more calories than you eat. Many take drastic measures when it should be small and simple changes in your everyday life to lose those extra pounds. Forgetting about instant results and focusing on the long run may in fact prove to be a sure way of success. There are four basic rules to weight loss, they are;
1. Calculate your BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate). This is the minimum number of calories you need to eat each day for basic bodily functions like breathing and digestion. These numbers change so keep in mind that there’s no accurate level for this, you need to adjust the numbers as you go along.
2. Calculate your activity level. Keeping a daily activity journal or watch of how many calories you burn while sitting, standing, exercising etc helps the process move faster. Use a calorie calculator to figure this out.
3. Keep track of how many calories you eat. Try to be as accurate as you could. Sites like Calorie Count could be used to keep track of how many calories are eaten throughout your daily routines.
4. Do the math, add it up. Take your BMR number, add your activity calories and then subtract your food calories from that total. If you're eating more than you're burning, (your BMR + activity is 3000 and you're eating 3200 calories) you'll gain weight. If you're burning more than you eat, you'll lose weight.
Even though you follow these rules exercising is important to losing weight, how much varies for each person. For beginners, start small and give your body time to adapt. Doing house hold chores may also help you lose some calories as well.
2. Quit Smoking
Millions of people think about quit smoking around this time every year. Nearly 48 million Americans aged 18 years and older smoke. Of these, fully 70%--nearly 34 million smokers--want to quit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. This year 1.3 million of these smokers will quit successfully. Why do tens of millions want to quit but only a fraction actually succeeds? The answer is that most people just don’t know how to go about quitting.
1. Believe in yourself, you CAN quit smoking. Do you believe that you can quit? If you don’t, you will have a much harder time trying to quit. The best action you can take right now to start the quitting process is to fix in your mind the belief that you have the ability to quit smoking. You might say that you can’t change your belief, but you can. Studies of smokers who successfully quit smoking show that one of the most important traits of a successful quitter is their belief that they have the ability to quit smoking.
2. Take Action. You can’t win the battle if you don't start the battle. The problem with too many unmet goals and plans is that no action was ever taken to start down the road to achieving the goal or plan. Getting started on your plan is difficult, but once you get started it’s hard to stop. So get started today.
3. Get Help and Support. Sometimes our family and friends can be our worst enemies when we are attempting something very difficult or "different." If your family or friends don’t smoke, they may not understand your desire to quit. Nor will they understand the extreme difficulty of overcoming your addiction. Ask them to be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem. Partner with a Quit Buddy to provide mutual supports are more successful when giving up cigarettes than are smokers who try to quit on their own.
3. Manage Debts.
Chances are that at some point in most people’s lives they realize that borrowing too much might be a mistake, and it’s better off to live with what you earn. Here are some tips on how to get back on track, First of all, no excuses. Do not blame others. It can be immensely stressful, so talk to someone about it. Friends, family or anyone that could help you out and plan it could be useful.
1. Plan it out.
Try to devise a plan to clear your debts using your budget. Try to meet with the minimum payments on time to avoid any more unnecessary charges. Earn extra cash by working overtime, getting a secondary job, bonuses or any extra cash could be used to pay off debt quicker.
2. Stick to the budget. Trying to stick to step one could be your ticket out of debt. It’s easier said than done. Get some determination and this will a success.
4. Avoid credit cards. It is tempting but trying to avoid credit cards as much as possible is as much important as step one. If you have many credit cards try to stick to only one. Make a determined effort.
4. Save More
Saving money could prove to be one of the most important things that you could have done in your life, if an emergency occurs a saved penny could prove to be vital. It isn’t that easy but it’s not impossible either. Hopefully the following pointers will give you a heads up.
1. The savings goal. Setting a savings goal depends on what the end term objectives are and good planning. Short term goals could be achieved quickly and easier but for long term goals like retirement, it takes a lot of determination and planning. Investing your money could prove to be valuable.
2. Establishing a time frame. A helpful thought would be to set a time frame and organize on how to achieve your end savings target on time. Plan on saving and live off the current budget. With determination this is a sure success.
3. Keep a record. Keeping track of how much is earned and how much is spent keeps you updated on your savings target. Keeping note of all your expenses for a month or so would help you save enormous amounts and think twice you buy.
Keeping a small notebook or keeping track of the above points would help you achieve your savings goals in time.
5. Get organized.
Keeping an organized daily schedule is key principle that keeps you in track of all your goals. Without this your life may result in frustration and disappointment. Clarifying your objectives and priorities are just simple steps you could take for an organized lifestyle.
1. Organizing your space could be step one for your betterment. Home, office, kitchen, garden, locker, closet and even the attic is efficient and it will help you save time when you know where you put it.
2. Make To Do Lists. Your daily, weekly or monthly to do list will be more helpful than you thought. Try to minimize the amount of things you’re going to get in those lists. There could be a chores list, shopping list and so on.
3. Use a calendar or planner. If possible every morning look the calendar before starting your day off and organize your daily plans. Keep the calendar where you could see it every day. A planner is more useful to keep track of your daily schedule. It could be the magic wand for anyone trying to get organized.
4. Be more decisive. Think carefully and make more decisions on how to improve your daily organized schedule.
Follow thoroughly through all the above points and you could set an example for everyone around you. There are many communities and groups like getorganizednow.com that is dedicated to betterment of organized life styling.
6. Spend more time with family and friends.
Research has shown that a majority of people vow to spend more time with their family and friends. Make plans and an organized schedule may assist you to accomplish this goal. Take some time off work and spend some time with your loved ones. Plan a sports outing, go camping, have a barbeque or simply watch a movie together to celebrate your family connection.
7. Help others.
Helping others may prove to be just helping others, it could also help you reduce stress, make you feel good and meet great people on the way. Making the world a better place for everyone for the greater good is indeed a noble thing, it makes you feel more worthy and makes you enjoy a better mental health. Doing something you’re passionate about while helping others is a way for you to develop your spiritual and mental factors. Networking your way through a social interest gains a healthy reputation too.
8. Dream holiday.
If you’re the one who enjoys the Venetian scenery or the beaches of Maldives, let this year be the year you do it rather than dream it. Of course there’s nobody who dislikes a five star treatment but there’s more to it than you think. Let us go through some pointers to achieve your dream holiday.
1. Plan ahead. Planning everything from the holiday location to dates and tours you’re going to take could prove vital to playing a role in your holiday. Search the internet; it really helps to know firsthand, you could save a lot of money on your accommodation and food.
2. Set a budget. Organize a calculated budget for your holiday. Many people find themselves regret spending more on unplanned schedules and unplanned budget after their holidays.
3. Enjoy yourself. The whole point of a dream holiday is to enjoy yourself and get a five star treatment but don’t get too comfy as this is a holiday, take your time and enjoy.
9. Reduce stress.
Almost everyone got one and few take the time to deal with it, stress. Managing stress is all about taking charge and dealing with it or else it’ll only keep piling up. Getting organized, spending time with family and friends and helping other are some things you could do to help reduce stress. Identifying the source of your stress in your life and managing them could help you. It’s also a good idea to carry a stress journal to keep track of how you deal and manage your stress. If you’re having more stress than you can handle its advised to seek professional medical health.
10. Get a better job.
Getting a better job is considered as an achievement. Many better jobs come and go fast and it pays to know the job market and industry. Here are some tips on landing a better career path.
1. Heart your job. Choosing a job and choosing a job you have a passion for makes a big difference. Your mental health and personal health could a lot better when you have a passion for your job.
2. Simply network. Knowing people helps you in more ways than one. Having useful contacts may aid in your search for that better job. Ask your friends, relatives or any necessary person to get that greater pay or passionate career going.
3. Go online. In this information rich age there is nothing better than the World Wide Web, there are thousands of sites out there with valuable information about career counseling and even recruitment. Follow the basics before switching to the advanced, Google it, it’s that simple.
Garnish the above points with determination and hard work and who knows it may be you who’s smiling with a big paycheck this year.
After reading this rather long article, do ask yourself, where do you see yourself in the next year? Achieving these goals takes hard work and a lot of determination but once it’s achieved I guarantee a smile that’s truly priceless. Well that’s it for this article, wish you all the best and happy New year.
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