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The problem with most New Year's Ever resolutions is that they're made with no thought behind them. "I'm going to quit smoking, I'm going to lose weight, I'm going to start a new diet, I'm going to start exercising more". While in theory there is nothing wrong with any of these resolutions, have you actually thought about how you're going to implement them?

When deciding on a resolution for yourself, you need to be realistic. Is your goal simply something you are paying lip service to, or is it something you really want to do? If it is, then you need a plan in place, otherwise, chances are that you'll fail, making you feel worse, when your resolution was to make an improvement in your life.

Sit down and decide what it is that you want to change in your life. If you've decided to quit smoking, talk to your doctor. Is giving up 'cold turkey' the way to go, or should you gradually cut down? Are quitting aids, such a nicotine gum or patches going to make the process easier for you? Speak to your family and friends so that they can help support you. All of these things will help to ensure your success, rather than failure.

If you've decided that you want to start exercising more, seriously think about your current lifestyle. If you're not a morning person, but decide that morning gym sessions are how you're going to incorporate exercise into your life, it won't be long before you're hitting the snooze button on your alarm clock and sleeping straight through your exercise time. Think about when you're at your energy peak. Perhaps you could go for a walk in your lunch break, or hit the treadmill after work instead.

The biggest problem with resolutions is that they're often made on the spur of the moment. While there's nothing wrong with that, to ensure that they're implemented properly, once you've decided on a resolution, it's important to work out exactly how you can incorporate it into your life in a way that doesn't make you feel like it's a constant battle to keep the resolution. Deciding on a change in your life is not a bad thing. You just need to take the time to decide how the change will effect you, if it is something you can honestly stick to, and the best way to make sure that your resolution turns into a positive, and not a negative.

Learn more about this author, Kris Zelunka.
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