New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions

A New Year resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to one or more lasting personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit. According to Gretchen Rubin (author of best-seller "The Happiness Project"): "You hit a goal, you achieve a goal. You keep a resolution".

This lifestyle change is generally interpreted as advantageous. A New Years Resolution is generally a goal someone sets out to accomplish in the coming year. Some examples include resolutions to donate to the poor more often, to become more assertive, or to become more environmentally responsible. A key element to a New Years Resolution that sets it apart from other resolutions is that it is made in anticipation of the New Year, and new beginnings.

There are religious parallels to this secular tradition. During Judaism's New Year, Rosh Hashanah, through the High Holidays and culminating in Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), one is to reflect upon one's wrongdoings over the year and both seek and offer forgiveness. People may act similarly during the Christian fasting period of Lent, though the motive behind this holiday is more of sacrifice than of responsibility. The concept, regardless of creed, is to reflect upon self-improvement annually.

Top ten common New Year's resolutions

New Year's Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It's a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. Here are some of the most popular New Year's resolutions.

Spend more time with loved ones

Everyone's busy these days, it's true. But blood is thicker than water, and the beginning of the year is an ideal time to reconnect with family that you haven't seen in a while. Great idea, right? Then February arrives, reality sets in, and you realize that the reason you didn't see cousin Jim more often is because he really isn't that interesting at all. Or that plan to spend more time with the kids? Well, it turns out that work doesn't magically disappear with the dawning of a new year, and you're at the office more than ever. It's a hard promise to keep -- no matter how sincere the desire.

Be happy !

Another top new year's resolution that people make is that they will remain positive and happy, no matter what the situation! If that means that they will manage stress and avoid getting angry by undertaking yoga, they will do that. If it means that they will stop being pessimistic in life, they will do that. If it means taking break from work, once in a while and going on holidays with family, they would do that too!

A new me !

You've been meaning to learn French. You'd love to play the piano. How great would it be to really know how to cook? You'll read Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and, man, you'll master it. You can even work on your French at the same time! Resolving to learn something new is exciting: the world is full of fascinating facts, skills and talents. And the process of discovering them, not just the end result, is enjoyable and rewarding.

At least, for a while. Soon you remember there's a reason you haven't learned all this yet. French is too hard to pronounce. Piano takes too much practice. Ordering out is just so much easier than cooking. You'll do it ... when you have more time.

Health is wealth !

It's one of the most common New Year's resolutions. After a season of way too many cookies, candies and holiday parties, it's only natural that a vow to lose weight and get fit would follow. Each January, fitness clubs offer deals and promotions to those who want to make good on their resolutions. To those who have been at the gym for the other 11 months of the year, the crowded classes and treadmill lines make the new year a dreaded time. Luckily for gym rats, research says that 60% of gym memberships go unused and attendance is usually back to normal by mid-February. Why is that? Simple: people are lazy.

Quit smoking

So you want to quit smoking? You should. It yellows your teeth, infiltrates all your clothing, irritates your significant other and charms only those in an ever dwindling crowd of fellow smokers. So what better time than now?

Good luck. Only an estimated 15% of people who try to quit manage to stay cigarette-free six months later. True, there are a host of products to help wean you off your nicotine addiction -- patches, chewing gum, "e-cigarettes" and even "snus," a Scandinavian habit of wedging a tobacco capsule up against one's gum. The last two, though, have fallen afoul of the FDA; some say the agency overly frets about the harmful effects of these products, which, after all, can stop people from indulging in far more carcinogenic cigarettes. In any event, smokers, you have your work cut out for you. Think it over during your next cigarette break.

Eat healthier

During the holidays, everything we consume is pretty much awful for us: eggnog, fudge, chips and dip, cheese