Money Matters - Last Week Of The Year: Happy New Year
BOSTON (CBS) - Well it took me months to write 2010 easily. I wonder how long it will take me to get into the habit of writing 2011.
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And if you are like the majority of folks out there you have overindulged the last five weeks and you woke up this morning thinking that you need to undo some serious damage here. Now where that damage is I do not want to know.
We will ring in a brand new year and with that we simply want to undo or redo some of the things we did last year! Or we want to start something new, make something even better. Hence we make New Year's Resolutions. We are oh so good at making those resolutions and not very good at keeping them.
Do you make the same resolutions each year and by Valentine's Day all of your good intentions are down the toilet? Choose just one or two this year for its easier to work on just one or two. You don't need a complete makeover!
The experts say it's very hard to give up old habits like smoking, drinking, chocolate, shopping, and gambling. The addictive ones and yes chocolate can be addictive! I have not seen a twelve-step program for chocolate but I am seriously considering writing one.
You have a better chance of succeeding at your New Year's resolutions if you are looking for a fresh start and not trying to change an old habit. Exercising more statistically has a better chance than giving up cigarettes. Old habits die hard!
The experts do agree on one thing, you need a plan to succeed. Write down your resolutions, prioritize them. Then outline what it will take to reach your goals. How much time are you willing to spend on your resolutions?
By writing them down you have activated a part of your brain called the Reticular Activating System and you will begin to process information on those goals. For example if "saving more" is your goal when an ad comes on the radio about good CD rates you will listen more intently.
As for me, my New Year Resolutions are easy: I would like to learn to whistle. Really loud. The fingers in the mouth kind of whistle.
And I am determined to lose 15 pounds, the same 15 pounds I lost last year. They keep finding me! I now have two counselors, Ben & Jerry, but I sometimes wonder about these guys. They give a new meaning to Chunky Monkey!
Happy New Year!
