Resolutions...groan...

Yikes! December is coming to an end! I always dread the post-Christmas period 'cos it signals the end of the holidays and the start of school and having to wake up at 6 every morning...sigh, guess for now I'm the only one hating this since the rest of you are free from school for a while (except those of you doing relief teaching ha!).
And of course, there's the reviewing of past year resolutions and the making of new ones. I gave this up for a while when I was younger 'cos I always write them on scraps of paper and lose them. But now I make myself write it down in my diary so that I can refer to them regularly. Hmm...they are good reminders but I'll always lose my resolve after a few days heh.
I've just checked my 07 resolutions and only managed to attain 1 very simple one. Oh well, but it's better than nothing! Guess the rest will have to be resolutions for 2008 again...first on the list will be to wake up cheerfully at 6 every morning!

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing." Abraham Lincoln
"If at first you don't succeed, you are running about average." M H Alderson

Interesting facts about New Year's resolutions:
- 25% of New Year's resolutions will be abandon in the first 15 weeks
- The average number of time's a New Years resolution is made is 10
- Those who manage to make a resolution that lasts for 6 months or more have often tried 5 or 6 times before finally succeeding

Top ten most popular New Year's resolutions (About.com):
1. Spend more time with family and friends
2. Have regular exercise
3. Lose weight
4. Quit smoking
5. Enjoy life more
6. Quit drinking
7. Get out of debt
8. Learn something new
9. Help others
10. Get organised

Tips for making your New Year's resolutions:
Don't make absolute resolutions
Keep them realistic. For example, instead of saying you won't yell at your kids anymore, resolve to yell at them less often.

Don't keep your resolutions to yourself
Tell someone you trust about your resolutions. It helps to share your goals with friends, who can gently nudge you in the right direction when you veer off course. Write down your resolutions rather than merely think about them.

Give them some meaning
People sometimes make goals that aren't necessarily meaningful to them. Your goal should be something you really desire to change or achieve, not something that society says is good for you to do or your family members would like to see you do. If you don't have strong, internal motivation within yourself, you won't be successful.

Take baby steps
Set realistic goals that are attainable and then take small steps that are likely to be met with success toward those goals. Don't try to lose 10 pounds in a week or quitting smoking cold turkey with no preparation. Instead, try joining a weight loss program and try to lose a pound a week, or join a smoking cessation group.

Avoid perfectionist thinking.
While we certainly always want to better ourselves, it is healthier to think in positive terms than it is to focus on how much we fall short of our aspirations. In other words, students should view the grade of an A- as better than a B, rather than not as good as an A.

View setbacks as lessons for growth.
Mistakes can be and usually are opportunities for learning. If you fall short of your goals, ask yourself what kept you from achieving them and then try to make corrections. People who like to sail understand this navigational concept. You almost never go directly from point A to point B. You set a course and periodically take readings of your position then make adjustments as you go along. Learn to be flexible.

Adapted from http://www.umm.edu/features/prepare.htm
Other interesting sites:
http://mentalhealth.about.com/od/selfhelp/a/newyears2.htm
http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/keepresolutions.htm
http://www.habitsmart.com/sdut.htm