By Dawn McCaslin
New Year's Resolutions embody our heartfelt life-improvement intentions. The most common New Year's Resolutions are to lose weight and get in shape, find a better job, spend more quality time with loved ones, quit smoking, get organized, travel more and reduce debt. Experts agree that you should have clear, concise and easy-to-implement ideas in mind. Planning is also important.
Give yourself a few weeks prior to the craziness of the holiday season to really develop and familiarize yourself with your resolution plans, so the changes are less of a shock to your system and your daily routine. By having a few small yet significant resolutions which you can easily follow through on, you'll gain confidence for your more challenging long-term aspirations.
Consider the following:
- Using the latest county/city evaluation of your home, ensure that your homeowner's policy has adequate coverage for the value of your house, as well as the valuables you store inside.
- Track your daily mileage by keeping a small notebook or log in your glove box. This will not only help you budget for an oft-overlooked expense, but you may find ways to help cut down on the wear-and-tear of your vehicle.
- Take a look at your finances, your assets, your debt and your salary to ensure that you understand your worth. Doing this at least once a year is a great habit to get into, and you can use this information to determine whether you need additional insurance, such as a personal umbrella policy.
- Set the timer for 10 minutes each evening and focus on cleaning one room a night, and before you know it, your home will look more organized and visitor-worthy with very little effort. This will also help minimize the potential hazards of clutter, making your home safer and more valuable.
- If you are a habitual procrastinator, consider picking one task you typically put off and commit to doing it in a timely manner, like getting your oil changed consistently at the 3,000 mile mark. In addition to helping your vehicle run smoothly longer, doing this will give you a sense of accomplishment and help you achieve other minor victories.
Make this year different. Make this the year that you take a little time to set some reasonable, achievable goals for yourself. Be specific. Include details and minor changes that you can commit to long-term. Once these small changes become habit, you'll gain the confidence to begin working on your more challenging and long-term aspirations.
Be safe and have fun this New Year's Eve! May 2009 be your best year yet!
Resource:
For more information on the most common New Year's Resolutions, check out this website!
