Your Resolutions for 2010 ?

It's two days to a new year. In fact to a new decade.

This is traditionally the time for reflections and resolutions. What did you learn this year and what do you want to commit to achieving next year?

Don't tell me you are among the millions who have given up making new year resolutions just because you have been unable to fulfil some of them in the past? If so, I think that's sad. I think we should all look forward with optimism. And especially after such a Grand Reunion that we've all had. Hey, we've made it through half a century. Let's aim for a next half century of health, harmony and happiness.

I made some resolutions for 2009. If you like you can read them in my other blog, Asian Observer. Click on this link:

http://www.asian-observer.com/2008/12/resolutions-for-2009.html

to go straight to my resolutions posting, which I wrote on 31st Dec 2008. I had decided to make them public to give myself an added push to complete more of them. Did it work? Well, I didn't complete all of them. But I think I did achieve more than half of them. And one of them was to help organise a reunion of old schoolmates ... I think with everyone's help, that one went pretty well, don't you?

Well, I haven't quite completed drafting my resolutions for 2010. Hopefully I'll get it done before end of tomorrow. I hope some of you guys give it a shot too ...

[Added later: Well, my 2010 resolutions are here.]
Here's an interesting article from CBC News that gives some advice on making new year resolutions that are more achievable. I must say I don't necessarily agree with doing just 1 resolution, but I think I will whittle mine down to a smaller number for next year.


Think small on new year's resolutions

Tuesday, December 29, 2009
CBC News

Millions of people fail to fulfil their new year's resolutions because of a faulty approach, suggests a new study.

Prof. Richard Wiseman at England's University of Hertfordshire conducted a study of 700 people who aimed to achieve several resolutions, such as losing weight, quitting smoking and improving their job qualifications.

 He found that only 22 per cent were successful. Those who used commonly recommended approaches such as focusing on the negative implications of not succeeding, removing temptation, having a role model and visualizing about being successful, tended to be unsuccessful.

"Many of these ideas are frequently recommended by self-help experts, but our results suggest that they simply don't work," Wiseman said in a release.

Conversely, people who attained their goals thought small, rather than big, dividing up the steps to achieving their goals into small manageable chunks.

They also rewarded themselves when they experienced progress, mentioned their goals to their friends, frequently thought about the benefits of attaining their goals and tracked their progress.

Stick to 1 resolution

"Many of the most successful techniques involve making a plan and helping yourself stick to it," said Wiseman.

To ensure new year's resolutions are met, he suggests:

• Make only one resolution, to ensure you channel your energy into attaining that goal.
• Make resolutions well in advance of the new year to gather your focus.
• Avoid previous resolutions, to prevent another failure.
• Skip the usual resolutions and choose one that's unique to your circumstances.
• Share your goals with friends and family to receive their support.
• Give yourself small rewards as you see results during the process.
• Track your progress through a journal, spreadsheet or via a notice board.
• Don't give up after a temporary setback. Expect small failures from time to time and accept them.


What are you waiting for? Get out that pen and paper ...