<font size="2">Phew! We made it through the Holidays...well, sorta - now we have New<br />
Year's to celebrate our accomplishments, or reflect on what didn't get<br />
done or maybe to be thankful for making it through the year and to be<br />
grateful for our blessings.<br />
<br />
And now we enter 2010 with all the hope of starting anew, making plans<br />
and setting goals, maybe even resolutions. How will we make ourselves<br />
better and our corner of the world a better place? There are so many<br />
places to start and things to improve upon. Really, too many!<br />
<br />
One way I've approached it in the past, which seems to work for me is to<br />
break it down into categories as I contemplate what I want to work on.<br />
So it could be related to Health, or Family, or Friends or Spiritual or<br />
Work or Education or Charity. For example, in the Health arena it could<br />
be anything from eating better, to exercising more, to getting a<br />
physical/eye exam/dental appointment. But here's the trick, once you<br />
zero in on a category, get as specific and concrete as possible. Don't<br />
just say you will eat better, but you will eat fruit every day or eat<br />
fish twice a week or eat red meat only once a week. See what I mean,<br />
baby steps.<br />
<br />
So try it with just a few simple things, don't take on too much at once<br />
and you'll see how having small successes will build a pattern and<br />
confidence and you'll be able to tackle even larger goals. And don't be<br />
too hard on yourself, if you didn't reach your targets, try an<br />
adjustment, something that's more realistic. The important thing is<br />
you're taking action and that means you're moving in the right<br />
direction.<br />
<br />
Read the article "Do You Know Anyone Who Keeps NY's Resolutions" (click<br />
link below) and you'll see that people who take action and fail within a<br />
month are twice as likely to succeed over the next six months as people<br />
who don't take any action at all. Click the link below for articles on<br />
New Year's Resolutions, Winter Survival Tips and Gratitude.<br />
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<a target="_BLANK" href="http://www.solutions-eap.com/tips/tips_info.htm">http://www.solutions-eap.com/tips/tips_info.htm</a><br />
<br />
Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy, Fulfilling and Prosperous New Year!<br />
<br />
Call Solutions EAP at 1-800-526-3485 for assistance for all of life's<br />
challenges.<br />
It's free, confidential and open to your family members.<br />
Check us out on-line at <a target="_BLANK" href="http://www.solutions-eap.com/">http://www.solutions-eap.com</a></font><br />
