A new year; a clean slate; a time to start over.  While I don’t usually make formal resolutions, I do usually look at each new year with hope that things will be even better than the previous year.  That said, I would like to offer up some tips for any of you that have a pattern of setting (and breaking) your resolutions each year.  Nothing new here — surely somebody somewhere has said all of this before, but it’s all worth repeating:

1. Start in February.  Whatever your resolution is, take the month of January to evaluate how it is going to affect your day to day life.  This can be a great time to prepare yourself and your schedule for the changes you’re about to initiate.  An added bonus: when everyone else is struggling to keep up with their resolutions by mid-February, you’ll still be going strong!
2. Reward Yourself.  A reward can be a very strong motivator that often gets overlooked in resolution planning.  Make it something tangible.  Getting to spend more time with my kids because I am more organized will be very rewarding, but it’s more of a reason than a reward for becoming more organized.  When I decided to start running again in April, I told myself I could get an iPod shuffle if I trained for an ran a 5k.  Use January to think up some fun rewards.
3. Break it Down.  It is highly unlikely that anything you say or do on January first is going to last the entire year.  If it were that easy, you would have done it sooner.  Keep your resolutions big (yet reasonable), but set smaller, sub-goals which will be easier to tackle.  Make sure you have rewards for all of your little victories too!
4. Have a Reason. Why do you want to loose 10lbs?  Why do you want to get “in shape”?  Why do you want to spend less time online or in front of the T.V.?  If you don’t know why, then it’s not very likely that you’re going to follow through.  This is another great thing to do during your planning month.  If you can’t think of a reason, then just smile and move on with your life!
5. Get Lots of Encouragement.  I’m starting to hate the word “accountability”.  It sounds (we’ve made it) so negative.  Why “hold someone accountable” when you can encourage them?  Nobody wants (or needs) to hear “you shouldn’t be eating that.”  We already know we shouldn’t be eating that.  Find people that will encourage you to stick with your plan and avoid people that just like to state the obvious.  Encouragement can also come in the form of motivational Podcasts and CD’s or blogs too.
6. Blog About It. It doesn’t have to be a blog, but write down notes along the way.  There will come a time when you feel like you’re failing and to see your journey in your own words can be very encouraging.  When I’m feeling like I’m never going to be able to run a marathon, I look back at my training log which is filled with milestones — my first 5k, my first 10k, new personal records — It helps me remember that this is a process that is going to take time.

What do you think?  Are you ready for the new year?  If your resolution is to comment more on my blog, let me encourage you to get started today!