For you history buffs, New Years Resolutions pre-date the birth of Christ by about 2000 years. The celebration of the new year is the oldest of all holidays, first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. So its especially meaningful in 2006 that somewhere around Baghdad, Iraq is where New Year celebrations began. There is no truth to the rumor that Dick Clark hosted the first one. Their celebration lasted for eleven days. But it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities dont even come close. Most Americans watch it in their pajamas on TV. Lets flip the channel and see what our options are. Theres Times Square with Regis. Oh, then theres Times Square with Ryan and Dick. And dont forget Times Square with that other network. Thank God and the beer companies for college football bowl games or New Years would really be boring. Its that time again. So what is it about New Years Resolutions that makes people want to make a significant change in their life? We secretly or not so secretly hope that 2006 will be better than the year we just went through. Stop smoking, start training, lose some body fat, start eating healthier,.etc. According to a study conducted by GNC, 50% resolved to exercise more, 38% wanted to lose weight, and 55% promised to eat healthier. From previous experience, there are very few of us who actually follow through with resolutions. Only 20% of us actually have the perseverance and patience to stick to our new promises we make to ourselves. Most new years resolutions are the same every year, and, tend to fade away by February, if not sooner. Here are a couple of lists of the most common resolutions people make, and continually break. Top 10 Most Common New Year Resolutions Lose weight Exercise more Save or make more money Stop smoking Find a better job Become more organized Stick to a budget Be more patient with people Eat better Become a better person Or how about this one: 1) Spend more time with family and friends Recent polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers, Quicken, and others shows that more than 50% of Americans vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year. What about the other 50%? Dont they care? 2) Take time for fitness Regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some diseases, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure, and even improves arthritis. In short, exercise keeps you healthy and makes you look and feel better. Sounds logical enough, yet most people will exercise for a few days to half a month, then quit. Logic alone just doesnt do the trick for sustaining your motivation. 3) Lose the Flab At least Fifty-five percent of adults in America are overweight and the alarming rate of child obesity is outrageous! Put down the chips and cheetos! So it is not surprising to find that weight loss is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions. Ever notice the abundance of weight loss commercials in January. Its their biggest time of the entire year for new sign-ups. Setting reasonable goals and staying focused are the two most important factors in sticking with a weight loss program. Yet why does all this goal setting fail year after year for most people? 4) Quit Smoking. Even if you've tried to quit before and failed, thats okay. Over-the-counter nicotine replacement products now provides easier access to proven quit-smoking aids. On average, smokers try about four times before they quit for good. Heres a good reason to quit smoking. Add up what you are spending on your cigs and you probably can make a car payment with the money youll be saving. But again, will power alone does not help you carry out this resolution. 5) Enjoy Life More Given the hectic, stress lifestyles of millions of Americans, it is no wonder that "enjoying life more" has become a popular goal. But what does that really mean? Working less does not equate to enjoying life more. A lot of people dream of retirement until they retire. Then theyre bored stiff and end up getting a job somewhere just to ease the boredom. Or they discover that theyre busier than ever after retirement, apparently catching up on all the running around they couldnt get done when they were working. Nice try, but that resolution just doesnt cut it either. 6) Quit Drinking Many heavy drinkers fail to quit cold turkey but do much better when they learn to moderate their drinking. If you have decided that you want to stop drinking, there is help and support available. 7) Get Out of Debt HELP! Americans are drowning in debt. Paying unending interest on credit cards is literally slavery. But how in the world do we get out of the trap, dig our way out of the huge hole weve sunk into with a wallet or purse full of credit cards. Especially since we just maxed out our limit on X Box 360 and other Christmas must haves. Maybe our real resolution should be to just say NO to more and more stuff. Was money a big source of stress in your life last year? Whats the answer? Where do you begin? Read on. 8) Learn Something New Have you vowed to make this year the year to learn something new? Excellent choice. Maybe youre considering a career change, want to learn a new language, or just how to use your computer or selling on E-bay. Whether you take a psychology course or read a book, you'll find education to be one of the easiest, most motivating New Year's resolutions to keep. Challenge your mind in the coming year. Take the 30 Day Mental Fast to prepare your mind for this one. Get it free below. 9) Help Others Many people have experienced a new surge of personal energy and excitement by spending a few days or weeks with the American Red Cross or Habitat For Humanity, for example. Whether you choose to spend time delivering relief supplies, or building a house, these nonprofit volunteer organizations could really use your help, especially since Hurricane Katrina. 10) Get Organized Whether you want your home straightened out enough that you can invite someone over, or your office organized enough that you can find the paper clips, begin small so it doesnt interfere with resolution #5. Resolutions do not involve luck to be effective. Traditional New Year foods are thought to bring luck. The Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year's Day will bring good fortune. Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts heartily agree. Many parts of the U.S. celebrate the new year by eating black-eyed peas. These are typically eaten with either hog jowls or ham. Black-eyed peas have been considered good luck in many cultures. So since New Years resolutions and luck dont bring permanent success, what does? Your change must come from within. What you believe about who you are will determine your success or failure every time. When you change your mind, you can change your future. |
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