With every passing year, we are given a chance to reflect on the past and start anew. As Oprah Winfrey once said “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.”

That being said, have you set your New Year’s resolutions yet? Perhaps, there’s something you’d like to improve on this year. And the key to actually making your New Year’s resolutions a reality is how you go about it.

Here are 5 Steps to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions a Reality:

  1. Make the Decision and Be Committed – Whether you want to lose weight, save money, quit smoking or anything else the first step is to make the decision. But making the decision alone is not enough, you must be committed to your goal. In other words, you have to be willing to do what it takes to achieve it.
  2. Set Your New Year’s Resolutions – Now that you’ve decided what you want to achieve, it’s time to write it down. It’s important to be specific about what you want to achieve, make sure it’s realistic and set a target date. For example, instead of just writing I want to lose weight. You could be more specific and write “Lose 25 pounds by June 30, 2012.”  After you’ve written it down layout the actions (e.g. eat healthier, exercise) you’ll need to take to make it happen. Then capture the actions down on paper too.
  3. Find an Accountability Partner – Do you know anyone you trust that you can share your New Year’s resolutions with? This person could be your accountability partner. Someone who will be there to encourage, motivate and hold you accountable for achieving your goals.
  4. Track Your Progress – In order to achieve success you must keep your New Year’s Resolutions in front of you, stay positive about achieving them (better yet, visualize your success also) and track your progress. Tracking your progress will help you identify whether you need to change what you’re doing to get more desirable results.
  5. Celebrate Your Successes – Be sure to do something to recognize your achievements. Keep it simple, but be sure to take the time and celebrate your accomplishments. This will keep you motivated and moving in the right direction!

I wish you all the best in 2012 and beyond.

Feel free to share your thoughts or any other tips. Thanks for reading!