New Year Resolutions

New Year's Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. Whether dropping vice or picking up virtue, a New Year's resolution is a good incentive for a positive change in life. It's a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. Did your New Year resolutions make our top ten list?

1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends

Spend more time with family and friends this year. Make plans to meet up with them.

2. Fit in Fitness

Does not necessarily involve losing weight. Some do it to gain muscle or improve cardiovascular health. Still, it's funny how soon into the year we forget our resolutions. Regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure, and even improves arthritis. In short, exercise keeps you healthy and makes you look and feel better.

3. Tame the Bulge

Weight loss is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions. Setting reasonable goals and staying focused are the two most important factors in sticking with a weight loss program, and the key to success for those who made a New Year's commitment to shed extra pounds. 

4. Quit Smoking

Sometimes a resolution means changing a life. Quitting smoking is a way to make long-term health choices by starting fresh with the new year. However, for many this resolution resurfaces year after year. Even if you've tried to quit before and failed, don't let it get you down. On average, smokers try about four times before they quit for good. Start enjoying the rest of your smoke-free life!

5. Enjoy Life More

Given the hectic, stressful lifestyles of millions of human beings, it is no wonder that "enjoying life more" has become a popular resolution in recent years. It's an important step to a happier and healthier you!

6. Learn Something New

Have you vowed to make this year the year to learn something new? Perhaps you are considering a career change, want to learn a new language, or just how to fix your computer? Whether you take a course or read a book, you'll find education to be one of the easiest, most motivating New Year's resolutions to keep. Or maybe the arts are more your thing...

7. Help Others

A popular, non-selfish New Year's resolution, volunteerism can take many forms. Whether you choose to spend time helping out at your local library, mentoring a child, or building a house, there are many nonprofit volunteer organizations that could really use your help.  Or if your time is really in short supply, maybe you can at least find it in you to donate the furniture, clothing and other household items that you no longer need, rather than leaving them out by the curb to fill up our landfills.

8. Get Organized

On just about every New Year resolution top ten list, organization can be a very reasonable goal. Whether you want your home organized enough that you can invite someone over on a whim, or your office organized enough that you can find the stapler when you need it, these tips and resources should get you started on the way to a more organized life.

9. Quit a vice. Stop drinking

10. Stop procrastinating

Many of us are guilty of procrastinating, but few are willing to live up to it or do something about it. This makes an excellent resolution.

A few other resolutions that did not make the top 10 list include things like living in a foreign country, going back to school, reconnecting with lost family and friends, finding a soulmate/significant other,

- Stop cursing: This is a subconscious problem for many. In fact, some of the worst offenders will tell you they don't have a problem at all. Know someone like this? 

-  Travel More: Is there anything better than a relaxing holiday? I’m not talking about a three-day weekend, but a real one or two week long vacation spent somewhere far, far away from home. A very popular New Year’s Resolution is to travel more.

- Go Greener. Protect the earth many people are looking for ways to reduce energy consumption, reduce waste and trash, and protect the environment.(see more here)

Let's have a healthy toast for our New Year Resolutions!