Copyright 2004 JoAnna Carey, Carey'D Away Enterprises, LLC.


Let’s talk about New Year’s Resolutions. Do you set the same
resolutions over and over, year after year, with the same
results? Do you procrastinate, avoid the issue, confess to
being lazy or come up with a zillion reasons why you will do
something about those pesky resolutions tomorrow? Then, do
you hear that little voice in the back of your mind that
whispers, “You have a whole year to make these changes,
right?”

Take charge! Don’t journey into 2005 doing exactly what
you’ve always done and expect miraculously different
results. The following tips will show you how to stop
sulking, to develop a clear sense of purpose and to stride
boldly into 2005.

Start with buying yourself a nice journal or at the very
least set aside a notepad that you will use to record your
journey into the New Year. Begin with a few positive
sentences about your greatest accomplishments of 2004. Then,
jot down some of the mistakes or obstacles that kept life
interesting but are better left in 2004. Now, write down
your list of resolutions for 2005. This doesn’t have to be
fancy or grammatically correct it is just a place for you to
note your ideas in an effort to develop that clear sense of
purpose. The following quiz can help you explore how and why
you choose these particular resolutions.

1) Is your list the same or a similar list to the one you
wrote last year?

2) How many years have you used this same list without
achieving the results you sought?

3) Are you setting goals to please others or to please yourself?

4) Why did you set each resolution on your list?
To answer this WHY question, consider the following:

a) Think back to who you were when you first decided upon
each resolution.
b) Are there any resolutions on your list that don’t apply
to your life right now?
c) Why did you want to accomplish each goal when you first
set the intentions?
d) Was there or is there someone else in your
life that influenced you to add any of the resolutions?
e) Why do you want to accomplish each goal now?
f) When, or by what date, do you want to achieve each goal?
g) What specific steps will you take this year to achieve your
resolutions?

5) What are you really trying to achieve in 2005?

6) CHALLENGE: List at least ONE thing you will do differently
than you have ever done before to make your dreams a reality
in 2005!

Now, look at your resolutions from a whole new angle. Start
with a blank page and develop a list of everything you have
ever wanted to do. That’s right, everything. Ignore all
resolutions, obligations, fears, costs or any other
obstacles that may prevent you from adding an item to your
list. Just write anything that comes to mind when you
reflect on everything that you have ever wanted to do. To
develop a clear sense of purpose for the New Year, take the
list and choose at least two things that you will commit to
accomplishing in 2005. Then, write out a few steps that will
help you begin the journey of attaining something that
really has meaning!

Here’s the fun part. Compare your list of everything you
have ever wanted to do with your initial New Year’s
resolutions. Are there common themes between what you will
set out to conquer in 2005 and what you hope to conquer when
you consider everything you would like to do with the rest
of your life? If the two lists don’t show similar desires,
what are you waiting for?

Make 2005 the year that you change the way you set and REACH
your New Year’s resolutions. An effective way to tackle
resolutions is by committing to take one step each week so
the goals become more than just intentions; they become
habits. If you are averse to the thought of change taking an
entire year, then commit to a time schedule that feels right
for your situation. You’ll see results with every week that
you take action! This is your life, so set your own rules
and work at your own pace. If it does take you an entire
year to reach those resolutions, think of it this way:
what's a year when it means a happier rest of your life?

All Rights Reserved. * Adapted from the book Rat Race
Relaxer:Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey.

About The Author:

JoAnna Carey, aka “The Rat Race Relaxer,” is available for
radio, TV and print interviews. She’s an energetic, young
entrepreneur who merges her life experience and business
success to perform enjoyable, influential presentations. She
is the producer and host of her own weekly television
program titled The Rat Race Relaxer™ Show and the author of
Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life. Contact
Carey’D Away Enterprises, LLC; http://www.RatRaceRelaxer.com.