December 25, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 13 How to choose a resolution you can keep New Year’s is on the horizon, and many people are making their resolutions for 2014. Even those people who find it difficult to keep their resolutions year after year still tend to make at least one new resolution once the hour of midnight chimes. Though it may seem as though resolu- tions are made to be broken, these pledges can be the first step many people take toward a happier and healthier life, making them more than just a silly annual exercise in empty promises. A common hurdle many people must clear when making a New Year’s resolution is choosing the resolution itself. Resolving to become a millionaire in the next 12 months is likely unrealistic, as is taking on the same resolution you made last year that proved unsuccessful. Before making a New Year’s resolution this year, consider the following tips aimed at helping you choose one with which you are likely to be successful. Make it something you’re likely to enjoy. Resolving to lose weight is perhaps the most popular New Year’s resolu- tion every year. Though there is no way to measure how many people make this resolution and stick with it, it’s safe to assume many people fall short of their weight-loss goal. That is because the steps people must take to lose weight are not always easy to embrace. Many people join a gym in January so they can fully commit to their resolutions to lose weight. But joining a gym isn’t always the answer, as it’s easy to become intimidated at a gym where the major- ity of your fellow members are already in great shape. This doesn’t mean you should shy away from your resolution. Instead, look for ways to make that resolution enjoyable so you’re more likely to stick with it. If you have resolved to lose weight, but a gym is not for you, sign up for a dance class or join a cycling group. There is more than one way to commit to a given resolution, and finding the most enjoy- able way to tackle a resolution is often the easiest way to make it a success. Make it a realistic goal. A resolution should be realistic. If not, the chances of being successful are slim. For exam- ple, resolving to move overseas by the end of the coming calendar year may be a great goal, but if you have no job prospects overseas or too many commitments at home, this goal is not very realistic and you probably won’t make it a successful resolution. However, this doesn’t mean you have to abandon your dream of moving overseas. Instead, resolve to make changes that make your desire to live overseas more realistic. Learn the language of a favorite country or learn about that country’s job market and work toward making yourself more attractive to potential overseas employers. This is a more realistic goal than deciding to move overseas in the very near future, and it sets you up for future success should you resolve to move abroad down the road. Employ the buddy system. Resolutions do not have to be a one-person show. In fact, your resolution may prove easier to keep if you can find someone to go along for the ride. For instance, if you have resolved to quit smoking, find a friend who also smokes and commit to your resolution together. You can lean on each other when times get tough and serve as each other’s watchdog to make sure neither one of you is straying from your goal. If you resolve to learn a foreign language in the year ahead, find a friend to enroll in a class with you. As addi- tional motivation, commit to visiting a foreign country where this language is spoken if both of you have success- fully fulfilled your resolutions. Develop a plan before making any commitments. Before you commit to a resolution, develop a plan as to how you’re going to make that pledge a success and determine if this plan is realistic. For example, if you resolve to lose weight, part of your plan should include an exercise regimen and any dietary changes. Once you have laid out this plan, examine it to see how likely you are to stick with it. If your plan includes waking up at 6 a.m. every morning to work out and you know waking up that early is problematic for you, develop a new plan that is more likely to be successful. The plan should be in place before you make your resolu- tion. If you simply cannot map out a plan that works with your schedule, this resolution might prove difficult to keep and you might want to explore another option. Many people find their New Year’s resolutions have fallen by the wayside by the end of January. However, those who are serious about making a change can take steps to keep those resolutions.