I have let several days lapse between posts; no excuse other than the usual: busy!

It occurs to me that this may be an appropriate time and place to share a bit of goal-setting info.  As you review the following tips, you’ll laugh if you know me at all — because my to-do list and goals list are ridiculously, improbably long!  But the last tip, to recommit, is what reminded me of this list.  I’ve been using it with students on an ongoing basis, as a springboard for ‘check-in on our progress’ talks.  I’ll “go public” here with three goals that are high on my list at the moment:

1) spend more time with friends and family

2) WRITE poetry, write for pleasure, more often

3) WALK and exercise more often

1. Get out of debt or save money
2. Lose weight
3. Develop a healthy habit (e.g., exercise or healthy eating)
4. Get organized
5. Develop a new skill or talent
6. Spend more time with family and friends
7. Other *(what kinds of resolutions do you suppose are included in “other”?)
8. Work less, play more
9. Break an unhealthy habit (e.g., smoking, alcohol, overeating)
10. Change employment

·        The survey also found that 35% of respondents break their New Year’s resolutions by the end of January and only 23% of those surveyed don’t ever break them.

8 Tips for Making More Effective New Year’s Resolutions and Goals in 2008

from Stephen Covey, Julie Morgenstern and Franklin Covey:

1) Think of Your Resolutions as Goals  (Make sure each goal includes clear measurements and specific deadlines).

2) Set Only 1 or 2 Realistic Goals  (Don’t create a long list of goals).

3) Write Down Your Goals

4) Take Baby Steps

5) Go Public  (Tell people you live or work with about your goal).

6) Track Your Progress

7) Reward Yourself

If You Slip Up, Recommit

  courtesy of:

http://rismedia.com/wp/2007-12-19/the-top-new-years-resolutions-for-2008-and-how-to-keep-them/

[edited a bit by moi]