Almost New

Well, a new year is upon us.  How do you get ready to start a new year?  Do you, like everyone, make a plan that will surely fail?  I mean, not to be a downer but isn't that the routine we set ourselves up for? Is it inevitable?  Statistics show that 92% of all resolutions fail!! Are there resolutions that work?

Here are some ideas on planning a successful new year...

• Start small.  There's something about Auld Lang Syne that gets us all fired up and ready to change - everything! Resist the urge.  Choose just a couple of things to focus on.
• Write it down and make a plan.  We are really good at stating what we want but no plan for the journey of getting there.  Do you want to save money?  Writing that down isn't enough.  Plan out the details of saving money...how much will you want to save?  Are you willing to skip your favorite beverage addiction in lieu of saving a $4 a day?  
• Work the plan.  Have your goals and plans written where you can see them everyday.  The things we keep our attention on become the things that develop in our life.  Intention and attention is the secret to New Years success. 
• Do it now.  Procrastination is powerful.  Instead of saying to yourself, "I'll get to it after I do the dishes.", say, "I'll do it now."  Most tasks seem daunting when left in our head but the actual time it takes to accomplish that can require much less time if we just tackle it with vigor. 
• Forget about all or nothing.  We sabotage so many life goals by thinking we need to arrive with perfection intact.  Not so.  When flying a plane, pilots know that most of the time, the plane is straying off course and each moment requires a course correction.  So it is with us...veering from our plan doesn't mean an imminent fail.  Sticking to it is the thing that matters most. 

Whatever you want in life, it's yours.  It's yours if you are willing to change your mindset just a bit and keep those plans on your radar.  

So, what are the things you have planned for your New Year?