Resolutions You Can Stick To

Most of us look at new year's resolutions as a "to do list" for the first two weeks of January and then we eat a cookie and say "to hell with it". Well, from the queen of failed resolutions, here are some resolutions that we can actually stick to.

"I'm Going To Lose 80 Pounds"

Yes. We can lose weight. We just have to look at it a little differently than we have in the past. Instead of saying "I'm going to lose 50 pounds by July" say, "I'd like to lose five pounds per month" which is totally doable. I did it, but then I gained it all back and then some because I stopped what was working when I went on vacation. Looking back, I feel horrible because I was losing weight. Really losing weight. I kept a food journal and wrote down everything I ate. Turns out I was eating way more than two thousand calories a day, so I had my metabolism done and cut out about 700 calories per day. I capped my intake at 15 hundred to 16 hundred calories a day and by February I had lost 12 pounds without even tying my gym shoes. I know I could have lost more if I had just stuck to it and gotten on the treadmill. The point is, don't bite off more than you can chew. Stick to small goals you can achieve. Those small goals can add up. Quickly.

"I'm Going to Be a Better Person"

This one should never go into the "to hell with it" pile, but don't say yes to every organization that comes knocking. Take a look at what's important to you. What are your interests? Are you interested in the environment? Eliminating poverty and hunger? Helping the homeless? Saving animals? Find one cause that's important to you and devote time to that one organization. Even if you don't have a ton of money to donate to a particular cause or organization, see if they need volunteers. Pick up trash in a park or along a road. Do a blanket drive and donate them to a local shelter. Serve food at a soup kitchen. Clean cages at the animal shelter. Just don't try to do all of it. I made a promise a long time ago after surviving on the kindness of strangers, that once my situation got better, I would do what I could when I could to help others. Focus on what's most important to you.

"I'm Going to Save All of My Money"

This is a good one, and saving money is an attainable goal, but saving all of our money may be a bit too miserly. There are many ways to still spend money while saving money at the same time. Clipping coupons is worth the time when you see how much you save. Especially if you use the coupon on a sale item. I knew someone who took all of her coupon money and put it in a secret account. When she had enough saved up, she took her coupon money and left her husband. I used to keep two check registers. One with the actual amount of the purchase, and the other with the amount rounded up to the next dollar. You'd be amazed at how much money I would transfer into savings every month. The leftovers saved me a few times when I had unexpected expenses. My best friend put all of her spare loose change into a jug. She cashed it in last week and had over $650.

What Are Your 2014 Resolutions?