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We make 'em and we break 'em. That's just the way New Year's Resolutions work, right? We overindulge during the holidays knowing that when they're over we will vow to make it all better. Millions of us begin each January intending to make good on these resolutions. We dust off our gym membership cards, trade in sweets for veggies, hide the credit cards, and so on.

Just as we start to see a bit of a change, the seemingly inevitable happens. A month goes by and our good intentions tend to become a thing of the past. According to proactivechange.com 46% of each year's resolution-makers revert to old habits by the time the calendar hits February 1st. We abandon our resolutions, often thinking we'll revisit them in the spring, when the weather is nicer and we don't feel we have as many obligations. What can be done to nip this trend in the bud? What can we do to stay motivated and keep working toward our goals?

If you are amongst the millions who will be participating in this New Year's tradition, be sure you are prepared for the challenge. Just because you may have slacked on a resolution or two in the past doesn't mean that the promises you've made this year are doomed. Here are some tips to help you stick with your goals:

Create a plan

The obvious first step in making and maintaining New Year's Resolutions is to determine which goals you need to set. The resolutions, themselves, are only a starting point. In order for you to work toward your goals, you must establish clear steps and immediately begin to follow them.

Keep it simple
Set an attainable goal or two. Don't weight yourself down with too many resolutions. It's much easier to focus on one or two realistic goals than on five or six. Plan on making a specific, realistic, and short-term goal can get you through the first and second months. If, for example, you have resolved to lose some weight this year, a good short-term goal could be to hit the treadmill twice a week for 45 minutes. This may be more realistic than planning on making it to the gym 5 days a week. This could also lead to a long-term goal of completing your first 10K, half-marathon, or marathon.

Take it slow
Reaching and maintaining goals should be a gradual process. You need to take the necessary steps not to mention time to meet your goals. Most people jump into their resolutions with the intensity of a raging bull but lose motivation quickly when they don't see immediate results. A little patience goes a way when trying to reach goals. Keep working

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