Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right ~ Oprah Winfrey

If you are anything like me, all hopes for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year are pinned on that one important night – New Years Eve. Resolutions are made – promises that we vow to lead a much healthier, honest and trouble free life. And, at that precise moment when I am making those promises to myself, for those few split seconds, I actually believe that I can do it, I can change and I will achieve my goal!

In the past my New Year resolutions have always been the same – get fit and eat healthier. I’d always ask for a fitness DVD for Christmas and make hollow promises to start my health kick on the first day of the New Year – but it seldom happened. I’d spend my time over the Christmas period enjoying copious amounts of chocolate and alcohol under the pretence that come the New Year I would wake up a more determined, self disciplined me – but year after year it was always the same – any motivation I had managed to gather disappeared within the first couple of weeks, leaving me feeling disappointed and ‘flat’ and quite a few pounds heavier than the previous year!

So why do I make promises to myself that I know I am not going to keep?

Like most people, I see the New Year as a time for fresh starts; a time to make promises to put things right in our lives; to kick habits that are not conducive to a healthy lifestyle; to say goodbye to all things that have had a negative impact on the ending year. But is making the resolution really enough? Not if you’re me its not!

According to some experts, making a promise without any thought to formulating a plan is merely wishful thinking as any resolutions made on a whim seldom work, so if you are serious about wanting to make changes you really need to give them some serious consideration. Set yourself realistic goals and think about the steps that you need to take in order to achieve them logically.

So where does that leave me?

This year my resolution will be the same (big groan!), but I am going to try different tactics this time. I’m not making any promises to start on the first day of the year, nor will I contemplate strict diets or strenuous exercise, instead, this year I will plan to do things gradually by setting myself different targets to achieve throughout the year. This will hopefully result in gradual changes to my lifestyle and eating habits for the better!

But New Year is not just about making resolutions, it is time to reflect on the past and contemplate the future, so however you plan to celebrate the New Year, spend time giving thanks for your good fortune if you are lucky enough to have all your family and friends make it through to see another year – spare a thought for those who have not been so fortunate and are contemplating facing a new year without loved ones or those who, for whatever reason will face a year of uncertainty and heartache. And let’s hope that whatever we have to face this year, we find the inner strength, determination and love to see us through.

Wishing you all, a very happy and prosperous new year.