What#039;s your resolutions for the new year?
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Now is the time of year when everyone takes account of their lives and decides what's wrong with their bodies, their minds, or their spirits.
Buck up, ya'll. It's time to make your annual New Year's resolutions. Also known as The Rules I Will Live My Life By For The Next Two Months Or SoŠ
Here are the Top 10 resolutions as listed by About.com. Which one of these is on your list?
1) Spend More Time with Family & Friends: Recent polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers, Quicken, and others shows that more than 50 percent of Americans vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year.
2) Fit in Fitness: The evidence is in for fitness. Regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure, and even improves arthritis. In short, exercise keeps you healthy and makes you look and feel better.
3) Tame the Bulge: Over 66 percent of adult Americans are considered overweight or obese ]by recent studies, so it is not surprising to find that weight loss is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. Setting reasonable goals and staying focused are the two most important factors in sticking with a weight loss program, and the key to success for those millions of Americans who made a New Year’s commitment to shed extra pounds.
4) Quit Smoking: If you have resolved to make this the year that you stamp out your smoking habit, over-the-counter availability of nicotine replacement therapy now provides easier access to proven quit-smoking aids. Even if you’ve tried to quit before and failed, don’t let it get you down. On average, smokers try about four times before they quit for good. Start enjoying the rest of your smoke-free life!
5) Enjoy Life More: Given the hectic, stressful lifestyles of millions of Americans, it is no wonder that &uot;enjoying life more&uot; has become a popular resolution in recent years. It’s an important step to a happier and healthier you!
6) Quit Drinking: While many people use the New Year as an incentive to finally stop drinking, most are not equipped to make such a drastic lifestyle change all at once. Many heavy drinkers fail to quit cold turkey but do much better when they taper gradually, or even learn to moderate their drinking. If you have decided that you want to stop drinking, there is a world of help and support available.
7) Get Out of Debt: Was money a big source of stress in your life last year? Join the millions of Americans who have resolved to spend this year getting a handle on their finances. It’s a promise that will repay itself many times over in the year ahead.
8) Learn Something New: Have you vowed to make this year the year to learn something new? Perhaps you are considering a career change, want to learn a new language, or just how to fix your computer? Whether you take a course or read a book, you’ll find education to be one of the easiest, most motivating New Year’s resolutions to keep. Challenge your mind in the coming year, and your horizons will expand.
9) Help Others: A popular, non-selfish New Year’s resolution, volunteerism can take many forms. Whether you choose to spend time helping out at your local library, mentoring a child, or building a house, there are many nonprofit volunteer organizations that could really use your help.
10) Get Organized
On just about every New Year resolution top ten list, organization can be a very reasonable goal. Whether you want your home organized enough that you can invite someone over on a whim, or your office organized enough that you can find the stapler when you need it, these tips and resources should get you started on the way to a more organized life. (source: About.com)
Kevin Pearcey is Group Managing Editor of Greenville Newspapers, LLC. He can be reached by phone at 383-9302, ext. 136 or by email at: editor@greenville.advocate.com.