I thought it would be fun to examine top 20 of the most common New Year’s resolutions known to man or should I say woman. I follow a blog titled:Iguanasmom where she invites readers to compile this top 20 list.  Maybe you have made a resolution with one or more of these goals and maybe you have succeeded or maybe you have failed in the process.  Is it time for a new resolution, maybe one that is a little bit more realistic?

Top 20 Resolutions

1. Losing Weight- This has got to be the big one with many individuals.  It is so much easier said than done right?  I have been there multiple times and this past year decided to buckle down and get serious.  If you need encouragement in this area check out Reader’s Digest.  There is a fantastic article on how you can cut fat and calories, portion control, etc.
2. Exercising- Many moms this day and age are taking up some form of physical exercise whether it be Yoga, Zumba, Kickboxing, etc.  Either way once the resolution is made it can be very challenging to stick to.  According to Jillian Michael’s, “weight loss is a process that is both mental and physical.”
3. Spend more time with family and friends- The most valuable of relationships are those you have with your family and friends.  This may be a common resolution but it is definitely a good one.  Jenn Sbranti over at Home Work Shop say’s “making time for family and friends should be a no-brainer, right?” The demands of everyday life make it challenging to keep up with this resolution.  Jenn goes on to say that “it’s easy  to find yourself opting for spending quality time with the couch over channeling your inner Martha Stewart.”
4. Quit Smoking- I am not a smoker but I do know some individuals who do.  For years their resolutions have been to quit smoking but it has been a hard habit to kick.  If your resolution for 2011 is to quit smoking check out “Quit Smoking”, this site shows you 11 ways to keep your New Year’s resolution to quit smoking.
5. Quit drinking- This time of year is difficult for many people because they are remembering the ones they lost or maybe they lost their job or house, etc.  Because the pain is so great they turn to the bottle.  Maybe you have found yourself in this boat and your New Year’s resolution is to quit smoking and be free of this demon.  Check out Alcohol Rehab Information.
6. Get out of debt- Check out Wallet Pop for more information.
7. Buy a home- My New Year’s resolution along with my husband is to buy a new house.  This is going to take a lot of effort on our parts.  Go to Real Estate for tips.
8. Saving for your retirement- Check out this article over at Ann Arbor Real Estate Talk.  Many Americans are finding themselves struggling to properly save for retirement.
9. Go back to school- Now is the time to take advantage of this resolution.  Put your right foot forward or you will never return. You may need to take baby steps to get you to this goal but it will be worth it in the end.
10. Make a career change- Heading back to school may be the primary reason for your possible career change. It is easy to get stuck in a rut.  The Huffington Post has a great article titled: “New Year’s Resolution: 84% Want to find a New Job”
11. Volunteer Work- This resolution may have become a trendy or popular resolution in years past but in all reality, it is a really good one.  There are so many foundations and organizations in need of volunteers. Go to Volunteer Ideas for New Year’s by Joanna Castle Miller over at Suite 101.
12. To become better organized-  Check out my previous posts “Keeping the busy mom organized.”
13. To become eco friendly- There is an excellent article on ten eco friendly New Year’s resolutions to choose from.
14. To Travel- I would love to make this a New Year’s resolution of mine but it’s just too difficult right now, maybe when the kids are older.  Maybe your resolution is to travel more this next year with your family.  Where are some places you would like to visit?
15. To always be on time- Whether it’s to be on time for work or school, a common but excellent New Year’s resolution is to stop being late.
16. To watch less TV and read more books- Zoha Natig from Associated Content has a great article on how to discipline yourself in this area.
17. To find someone special in your life- Maybe this doesn’t apply to you but someone else your life.  There are so many individuals that make this New Year’s resolution because they are tired of being alone.
18. To simplify your life- Moms and the word simple life just don’t seem to mesh.  Moms are so very busy with hectic schedules and challenges, but maybe there are ways we can simplify our lives to make everything run more smoothly. Go to Aricle Span for a great article on this topic.
19. To donate personal possessions to charities- This is mine and my family’s New Year’s resolution, mainly with toys and clothes.  Having three children makes it easy for these items to accumulate.  I am sure you can relate.
20. To take up a new hobby- For 2010 my New Year’s resolution was to take up scrapbooking.  Unfortunately, this hobby failed and I have taken up blogging.  Check out the Craft Blog for making this your New Year’s resolution.

Can you think of any resolutions to add to this list?  Have you been able to stick to past New Year’s resolutions?  Please share with us your past or current experiences.

Tips for helping you keep New Year’s resolutions

1. Make sure your resolution is easy to attain, don’t make unrealistic goals this can definitely cause you to break your New Year’s resolution.
2. Try to set your New Year’s resolution a head of time so that you can write it down and make it plain in your heart.  When you get it set in your mind, it will make the goal easier to shoot for.  If you make a resolution the day before, most likely you will not follow through with it as your mind hasn’t had enough time to process it completely.
3. Make some sort of list and post it where you can see it everyday, like someone to call or some sort of mind exercise to get you in the habit of achieving your New Year’s resolution.
4. Make only one New Year’s resolution, one that is most important to you.  If you make too many resolutions, they will become easy to forget and most likely they will become broken resolutions.
5. Give yourself a break.  Once in a while we just need to do something for ourselves to keep keep us going strong especially with New Year’s resolutions.  For example, for me this past year’s resolution was to do physical workouts everyday with a healthy diet.  I have achieved this but I also allowed myself a yummy treat once in a while to keep me motivated.
6. Be sure to examine where you are at in the New Year with your resolution.  Has your progress improved or regressed?
7. Remember, you are only human.  You are most likely going to take a little step backwards but just get yourself back up on that saddle and try again.
8. Making your resolution a habit will help you achieve your goals. They say it takes 21 days to make a habit so if you can get those 21 days under your belt your New Years resolution is ringing true.
9. Do not give up even if you feel like you haven’t made any progress.  It’s like climbing a mountain you just have to keep pushing and enduring until you reach the very top.

How about you?  Do you find it easy to stick with a resolution or do you struggle like many of us to keep pushing forward to achieve your goals?  Please share any tips or advice that helped you keep your New Year’s resolution.

Studies show that Americans are more resolution-conscious than ever, with the practice of setting resolutions being far more prevalent than people who actually know the words to that New Years song. Although we come from diverse backgrounds, it seems our shortcomings have a lot in common. Following are the top five most common New Years resolutions:

1. Get in shape/Lose Weight – What do you get when you combine an increasingly image-conscious society and the most overweight population on earth? You get a lot of people wishing they weren’t so fat, that they had those abs, or that they could slip into those size 2 jeans. Throw in growing volumes of evidence that being overweight poses serious health risks, and you get even more people scared to death to be fat. The result: every year the majority of us resolve to lose weight and get in shape.

Some people will take on exotic diets or rigorous exercise routines. Some will only sit and think about how great it would be to be thin (as they pound down another triple fudge sundae). And still others will take a very methodical, sustainable approach, gradually increasing their exercise while gradually reducing their calories consumed. Most who resolve to get in shape this year will fail, either burning themselves out in the first few months or never getting off the sofa. The few who do reach their goals usually do so by taking a sustainable, long-term approach.

2. Quit _________ – Vices. We all have them. They come in a myriad of forms: tobacco, alcohol, Whoppers, soap operas, etc. They are all alike in that they are bad for you, at least in excess. When you need to kick the habit, you usually know deep down inside. You can no longer recite the alphabet from memory, for example. Or, in another example, your planner is filled with only two activities: work and feeding your vice (with work soon to be removed from the picture).

When you exhibit these symptoms, it’s time to drop that bad habit like… well, like a bad habit. Many resolution-setters will accomplish this by abstinence, going cold turkey, etc. Many find it helpful to remove themselves from the situations where they used to indulge in their vice. For instance, if you are trying to give up drinking, stop visiting the pub. If you are trying to break away from Days of Our Lives, don’t sit in front of the TV at noon every day waiting to be tempted. It helps significantly to fill the void left by your vice with something else. You know, like smokers chewing gum or Jenny Jones addicts going back to school. If you’re addicted to video games, sell your console and buy some good books.

New Years is a great time to get rid of that excess baggage slowing you down.

3. Get organized If, like many Americans, you feel your life is out of control, getting organized in the coming year may be the right resolution for you. The first of the year just happens to be a very convenient time to do so. All calendars start at January 1st. You have a well-placed vacation to take a break from running around like a headless chicken and get your act together. Be warned, however: once school and work start up again you have lost your chance to get your bearings. Therefore, get a planner and get in control early before things get hectic again.

Many find it helpful to buy a calendar, a planner, labels, etc., something tangible to remind them of and help to fulfill their goal. The most crucial component of organization is making it part of your routine. After all, being organized can’t be accomplished in one fell swoop. The universe and your life have an annoying tendency to get disorganized. You know, the law of entropy and all that. Things that you organize today will inevitably get disorganized later. Thus, organization needs to be done on a regular basis. For instance, you may decide to make Sunday night ‘Planning Night’, when you find a quiet place to sit down with your planner and map out your week. Saturdays may be set aside for cleaning and organizing your house. Consistent maintenance is the key here.

One more caveat: beware of over-scheduling yourself. Time is a limited asset. Filling your planner with too many extemporaneous activities can quickly rob you of any time you would have to organize or plan. Honestly ask yourself what activities are necessary, what activities you would like to do, and what activities are just draining your time. And be realistic about how much time you allot for each activity.

4. Get out of debt Nothing drains your bank account and good spirits like debt. The holiday shopping spree does little to alleviate this burden. So, once January 1 rolls around and the credit card statements start arriving in the mail, a vast number of Americans first almost faint from shock and then resolve to tighten their belts and overcome that harsh captor Debt.

A variety of tools exist to help people with overwhelming debt: debt consolidation services, setting strict budgets, living scarcely, downgrading in the car or house department. All approaches, unless they are trying to pull something over on you, involve a great deal of discipline and determination. Changing one’s spending habits can mean changing one’s lifestyle altogether, which, of course, is worth being free to keep your money and know that, in the event of economic hardship, you will not be taken to the cleaners by the credit card companies.

5. Get a better job Being in a job you hate or that isn’t taking you anywhere can have a serious impact on your personal well-being. We always want to feel like we’re going somewhere, that things are getting better. It’s no wonder then that millions of Americans resolve to leave their stale jobs behind for greener pastures. Many will find a better job. Others will improve their education with the goal of attaining better employment.

About the author Marcus Varner earned his BA in English from Brigham Young University with a Creative Writing emphasis. He is currently in his second year at BYU’s lauded MBA program studying Marketing. He blogs, writes fiction and screenplays, loves movies, and can’t resist playing superheroes with his kids.

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