It’s New Year’s Eve! Out with the old, and in with the new, right? So … what is the new? This is a time for people to ponder about problems they need to resolve, or to try to create a goal to better themselves, their community, etc. If you are having difficulty coming up with a New Year’s Resolution, read through some of these:

Fitness

If you are already in top shape, then good for you. Keep at it … but for the rest of us, we may need to do a few sit-ups or push-ups to get us back in the game. Fitness can consist of anything from promising yourself to go to the gym twice a week to running around the block a few times every now and then. The point is to come up with something reasonable for you to start out with. Don’t expect yourself to turn into Vin Diesel in a week, but don’t allow yourself to slack off either. Do something you know you can stick to, and push yourself a little more each week. Just remember that you probably won’t see results really fast, but if you keep your Resolution, you will see results eventually, and you will feel even better knowing that you committed to that goal, and that you accomplished it. If you let yourself slip up a little, DO NOT just give up. Think of it as a period of indulgent, and then get back to it. Good luck!

Quit/Cut-back Smoking

Whether you want to stop smoking or merely limit yourself to a certain amount per day, this is going to be quit a difficult goal that will probably take a long time to complete. I’ve seen people who have smoked for years go cold turkey in a week, but I’ve also seen people who have only been doing it for a year or less fail miserably in their attempt. It’s all about commitment. If you set a reasonable goal for yourself, your lungs will soon be able to breath again. Believe me, there is hope for everyone. There is no such thing as a person who can simply not cut back even just a little. The big thing is, that it is up to you to figure out what you can handle. If you are at two packs a day, do not think that you will get away with two cigarettes a day very easily. If you create unreachable goals, you will find that you give up almost the instant you make the goal. Start with cutting back just a cigarette or two a day for a few weeks, and then keep doing it less and less until you are at what you want to be. If you are going to go out and spend big money on patches and medication, etc. to help you quit, I recommend using Chantix. Chantix has helped more people quit smoking than you will believe. A friend of mine was 3 packs a day and she quit smoking in two months completely! I realize that smoking is an enjoyable habit to most, and that they aren’t interested in quitting, but there’s no harm at all in cutting back.

Get a New Hobby

Although this might seem like an unusual New Year’s Resolution, you will be surprised at what a new hobby can do. Most of all, it is a stress reliever. There’s nothing like taking a break from work to go shoot a few hoops or to take a skiing trip after a long stressful week at work. This will do wonders for you and those around you. People like happy people….plain and simple. If you are looking forward to something fun, chances are you won’t be in as bad of a mood as if you didn’t have anything to look forward to. Get the guys together and have a little get together. Don’t do anything that will upset the Mrs. though!!! This will lead to more problem. Get into an active hobby that you can do almost everyday. There’s online gaming (I don’t advise to those who don’t have time), all kinds of sports, collecting things, buying a new pet to take care of, cooking (can be very worthwhile), reading books, learning to play an instrument, etc.

Quit/limit Drinking

Believe it or not, but quitting drinking can be just as hard, if not harder, than quitting smoking. Rarely ever can someone who drinks nightly go cold turkey, so if you drink more than just occasionally, do not just quit all together. If you don’t taper your drinking, chances are you’ll be back to square on soon. Whether you are a sporadic drinker, or if you chug a six pack every night, this is an option that can lead to a MUCH better lifestyle. People don’t realize the effects of alcohol. When you are young, it’s the “cool” thing to do, and when you are old, you are either already caught up in it, or you do it because it makes you feel good. Either way, everyone knows you don’t have to have alcohol to have fun. If you don’t drink much, you don’t have to completely quit, but allow yourself to say no just once. If you can do it just once, you can do it all the time. The hardest part is the first time. Whether it be peer pressure or whatever, it will be an awkward moment for you. For consistent drinkers, cut back by a drink or two for a long while and allow yourself to get used to it. Don’t freak out and quit if you all of the sudden stop though. This is going to happen….and when it does, you have to remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Keep at it, and eventually you will get it.

Eat Healthy Food/Eat Less Junk Food

Here is a “biggun” that a lot of people don’t think about. Not only will eating better make you look better, but it will allow you to live longer and feel better too. People don’t understand that eating healthy really affects the way you live. There are more excuses to not eat healthy than there are trees in a forest. Some common ones are: “Oh, I can’t eat just that. I will never be full”. When eating healthy, you will find that you can eat a lot. This is because there is less fiber and saturated fat, allowing your body to consume more, and instead of getting all that sugar and fat, you are getting vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers. If you already eat way too much junk food, you don’t have to stop. Eat just a little bit less. If you roll up to Micky D’s, instead of ordering 4 double cheeseburgers, a large fry, and a large Pepsi, try ordering 3 double cheeseburgers, and an orange juice. This might seem bogus at first, but keep trying to step it up a little, even if those steps are baby steps.

Religion

Although the U.S. is becoming more and more known for it’s Atheism, there are still millions and millions of people who still believe. If you are one of those people, but find yourself sleeping in on Sunday, or being to busy to attend a church play, think about re-mapping your schedule to allow it. Not only will this please the lord, but it will allow you to get more in touch with what you are doing. I’m not saying drop everything and go to church everyday, but think about going to Sunday service once a month, and then work your way up to wherever you are comfortable. Try reading a few bible verses before you go to sleep at night. This can be very stress relieving, and Lord knows how much it will pay of in the end.

Family Time

A very common problem with families, is that they simply don’t spend much time together. Families are even removing the nightly family dinner from their schedules. If you feel like you want to get closer to your family, here are a few things to try:

Come up with a “Family Night” that lasts for only a few hours so that your children and you can find a way to schedule around it. You can do a number of family activities such as play games (try to stray from competitive games as it can cause hurt feelings and fights), watch a movie, go out to eat somewhere, go bowling/swimming/kayaking, anything! This is sure to bring smiles to the families faces.

Eat dinner together. It is hard to believe that many families do not spend dinner together. This is understandable if a family member is gone during the night, but that still does not mean the other members shouldn’t eat together. This is a time for family members to talk about their day, their problems, what they are looking forward to, etc. It might not seem like that big of a deal, but it really can bring families closer together. Go to Families With Purpose for dinner games and ideas.

Have a Family craft night where everyone gets together and makes something. It can be anything from gingerbread houses to creating something for a friend or family member. There are a billion things to do, just swing by your local hobby lobby or visit a family website for some ideas.

Personal

Everybody is different, and everyone is going to have little personal New Year’s Resolutions. For instance, I need to work on showing my g/f I love her more and spending more time with her. I also want to try to keep my room organized or clean. Someone might want to keep their grades up, or a family member might want to help their children keep their grades up. There are a limitless amount of possibilities, and so I’m asking you to come up with some more ideas or to post your New Year’s Resolution to help other’s find something they might be interested in doing. Thanks