A new year is once again upon us, and you know what that means. As well as the inevitable hangover from the often slightly disappointing new year's eve celebrations, there will probably also be a slight nagging feeling in the back of your mind that you should perhaps do some things differently in 2011. All the mess you made, deadlines you missed and plans you abandoned in 2010 can surely be remedied in the twelve months ahead, so it's time for a new year's resolution or two.
After that post-Christmas slump, the new year always seems to be the ideal time for a new start and what better way to plan a fresh start than with excitement and lists. The excesses of Yuletide are designed to cheer us up in the dark cold winter months but, in these modern times, they merely lead to guilt and a desire to join a gym come January. The western tradition of stuffing your face full of calorific treats at the end of December is often the first thing that people seek to remedy in the months that follow, but there are far more things you can do to cheer yourself up before the winter is done.
New year's resolutions generally fit into two main categories: practical things that you really should be doing already that would make your life a whole lot easier, and things that you've always wanted to do to enhance your life. The former would be a list of things like clearing out the attic, sorting out your finances, getting fit, never leaving the washing up overnight, or taking the first steps towards a career move. The latter list would consist of entries like learning a new language, taking at least one photo a day, enrolling on an evening class, taking up a sociable sport, or re-discovering an old hobby.
First things first, sit down and take stock of what has happened in your life this year. Do you want to carry on doing more of the same, or would you like to ring the changes? Do you want to get fit, healthy, creative or organised? Anything at all can be a new year's resolution as long as you think you've got the teeniest bit of willpower, and do remember that this last part is a rather important element of the plan. There's no point in saying you're going to give up smoking in 2011 if you know full well you'll only last 2 days. That sort of behaviour is what gives new years resolutions a bad name.
Secondly, take what you've decided to do in the new year and tell someone about it. You don't need to inform everyone in your Facebook friends list what your plans are, but telling at least one person will mean that you have a little bit more motivation to get it done as they'll probably ask how it's going whenever they see you. You wouldn't want to disappoint them now, would you? So, whether you plan on spending more time with your family, running a half-marathon, or simply learning to cook a meal from scratch, here's hoping that you meet your goals in the coming year. You know you can do it - what's stopping you?
Image via bjornmeansbear's Flickr