A New Year 2016

In all my years as a designer and speaker, January has represented the clean slate and the time to make and try not to break New Year’s resolutions.  The top of the list for everyone, of course, is clean up the clutter and start a diet and exercise program.
  
So as we begin the anew, let’s explore the ways we can keep our new year’s resolutions and reach our goals.

1. Since success breeds success, if we start with a small achievable action like cleaning out one drawer or the refrigerator, our feeling of accomplishment will act as a prompt for the next.  They say that if we repeat a positive action for 30 days, it becomes a habit.  If that’s true, we could actually have a clean basement or lose 15 pounds in a month!

2. Don’t be undermined when we fall off the wagon.  So we ate the brownie (or two) or left all our stuff in the dining room. That doesn’t mean we’re doomed for life and it’s not a license to continue the bad habit.  Starting over is what the New Year is all about.

3. Reward yourself for positive action and not with a hot fudge sundae.  How about inviting friends over to an uncluttered den or buying a new outfit in a smaller size or finding and wearing a “too small” favorite from the back of the closet?

4. Turn the chore into fun.  Join a dance class instead of going to a gym, if dancing makes you happy.  Swap recipes for healthier meals if you love to cook (and eat).

5. Find a buddy for positive reinforcement so you can celebrate achievements and support one another when failure looms.

6. Keep your sense of humor (or develop one if that’s your resolution) and don’t allow negative thoughts to undermine goals. 

7. Be specific about what you are actually trying to achieve.  

8. Worry less.  Be happy with who you are and the blessings you have.  The cup ½ full is a better attitude to accomplish anything even if life’s challenges seem to be overwhelming.

9. Let’s spread a little joy and try being really nice to people who may not deserve it and of course, to those who do. The response might surprise and even amaze and the positive vibes will definitely ramp us up.

10.. So my dear readers, why not ring in 2016 with a smile and a resolve to do what we can to make things better for us and those we care about? If we start with ourselves and work our way out, our homes and the world can only be a better place.