I RESOLVE TO . . .

I Resolve To® . . . Maintain A Lifetime Resolution List!

If you could craft your own 'Life Story' what would you write?  On January 1, each one of us is given the gift of a clean slate, a new page on which we can begin to write the next chapter in our lives. So, what will it be?  Will life in the New Year be dominated by the personal and professional 'In Box'?  Will our days be driven by all the 'stuff', all the many things that the universe throws at us each day, the things over which we can exert minimal control, but are important responsibilities nonetheless.

A better, more proactive, alternative approach is to make a firm decision today to pursue one positive dream, resolution and daily goals (Daily Resolves) that bring joy, fulfillment and reward.  The 'In Box' will continue to overflow and tasks will be tackled one by one.  We have no control over what lands in the 'In Box', but we can work to shape and mold our dreams, resolutions and Daily Resolves (goals), if we so choose.

Why not pursue a dream, resolution and Daily Resolves (goals) with passion, patience and persistence in the coming year?  Why not be courageous, strong and committed?  The start of a new year is a wonderful symbolic opportunity - one of 365 opportunities - to seize the day and put an end to the 'Someday, Someday, Someday Syndrome'.  It is time to 'go for it'!   If you are hungry for positive change and achievement in your life, but uncertain how to begin, or on which resolution to focus - start by doing a bit of daydreaming.  Put on your thinking cap and mull your options.  One of my favorite creative exercises is to hit my favorite coffee house with my journal in hand, and these questions:

1. What are the 100 things that I would love to do, be, see, feel, experience, create, achieve, learn, try, change, or have in my life . . . more than anything in this world?  What 100 things would enable me to write a rewarding, joyful life story full of happiness and achievement?  Every New Year I ponder this question, and periodically review and update my list throughout the the year.  The list becomes a living document that changes over time, as I learn and grow, experience highs and lows, victories and defeats.  Crossing things off the list and adding others is part of the growth process - life and all the changes that it brings day-to-day.  So, don't worry if your list gets messy.  What is important is that you start today.  Create your own Lifetime Resolution List.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  Even if you only partially achieve your cherished dreams - your resolutions and Daily Resolves - you will be a lot farther along in your life story, than if you didn't try at all. 
2. As you create your list, consider this question as well:  If I had all the time, skills, knowledge, money, opportunity, and support in the world, what would I do?  No holds barred:  List everything large and small, significant and insignificant, realistic, or seemingly unrealistic.  This is an exercise in dreaming large, daring to dream the impossible dream, and opening one's mind to all the wonderful possibilities.  Below, I provide a snapshot, in no particular order, of things that I strive to incorporate into my daily life, things that I want to do (or in many cases already do, as Lifetime Resolutions) and things that I want to be, see, feel, experience, create, achieve, learn, try, change, or have  in days, months and years to come . . . It is not exhaustive and doesn't include a complete listing of accomplishments (though I strongly urge folks to periodically review accomplishments, as a method of inspiring future successes).

When I put pen to paper and draft, or update, my 'Lifetime Resolution List' - my top resolutions, dreams and daily goals have always jumped from the paper.  Every year I have far more resolutions than I can realistically tackle.  I am careful not to bite off more than I can chew.  To do otherwise is a recipe for disaster.  In 2008, for instance, my resolution was to show my gratitude for all that I have and all that I am by giving back in four areas of my life: 1) Walk 60 miles for the Washington, DC Breast Cancer 3-Day and raise $3000. 2) Volunteer at a Virginia Horse Rescue Farm. 3) Learn more about how to combat Global Warming and take action! 4) Engage in PreMeditated Acts Of Kindness.  I achieved 90% of my goals and plan to work to complete the rest in the coming year, along with a brand new list of dreams, resolutions and daily goals.  My gratitude theme and resolutions to 'give back' continue to this day, I am fully committed.

I don't presume to suggest what you should do in the coming year.  No one knows better than you what dreams simmer like embers in your heart and mind.  If you want to quit smoking, I can't tell you to do it, or if it is time.  You have to make that decision.  If you want to get a new job, it is up to you to build a strategy and take action.  If you want to go back to school, write a novel, get fit, cultivate healthy eating habits, volunteer time to a good cause, be kind . . . it is up to you to 'resolve' and follow through to make those dreams a reality.

Bottom Line:  When it comes to dreams, resolutions and Daily Resolves, each one of us typically possesses pretty good emotional, intellectual and 'gut' instincts about what is right, and what we truly want to 'do and achieve' (a personal compass that guides us in the right direction if we are willing to observe where it is pointing).  What is important is to choose something about which we have enormous desire, interest and passion - something that offers challenge, excitement, joy, and fulfillment.

If a particular goal or dream is on your mind all the time;  or if a resolution lingers on your 'To Do List' for a long time - it is possible that you have been afraid to pursue the dream, or because you simply can't give up on it.  That dream, resolution, or goal, is on your your list for a reason.  And I am not talking about that 'tired' list of 20 resolutions that revelers draft out of obligation each New Year's Eve  because they feel they 'should change'.  I am talking about a dream about which your have great passion, enthusiasm and desire, but perhaps lack the courage to make the time, and show the conviction and determination that is necessary to make it a reality!

As a 'serial goal-setter', I many years ago created a 'Lifetime Resolution List' - a list of dreams, resolutions, and goals, large and small, that I would love to achieve/fulfill in my lifetime.  I am realistic about my list.  Some dreams may never happen.  My time is finite on this earth.  A person can only do so much in one lifetime.  Some dreams drop off my list and are replaced by others as I grow, learn, age, and change. But success does breed success. If you want to achieve daily goals of all shapes and sizes, it is useful to know 'what they are, why you want to achieve them, when you are going to achieve them, and how you are going to achieve them'.  

I believe with my heart and soul in that old adage, 'Do What You Love.  Love What You Do.'  It is one of my core motto's.  In 2009, I decided to chronicle my journey toward fulfilling dreams, resolutions and Daily Resolves with the I Resolve To . . . Challenge:  365 Resolutions For Health & Happiness.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I decided it was time to tell my own story through pictures and words.  It is a unique vantage point, much the same as the vantage point that is shared by the Resolutionistas that I have inducted into the Resolutionista Hall of Fame - people who passionately pursue their dreams, resolutions and Daily Resolves.  To see my personal 'Health & Happiness Tapestry', click through my 2009-2011 Photo-Resolutions, each one documents my journey toward greater health and happiness and is a living, breathing history some of my 'Lifetime Resolutions' . . . My Lifetime Resolution List - A Wonderful Work In Progress (Many done, many works in progress!):

1. Write best-selling non-fiction books that are a mix of words and photos (Work In Progress!) 
2. Write best-selling Calendars, E-Books and Audio Books (Work In Progress!).
3. Help others to achieve their dreams, resolutions and Daily Resolves (Check - On-Going!).
4. Maintain my physical fitness through daily 20/30/60-minute work outs - Walk, Bike, Swim, Weights, Gardening - (Check - On-Going!). 
5. Get into the best physical shape of my life, exercise regularly (Working On It!)
6. Maintain a healthy diet filled with fiber, grains, fresh fruits and vegetables (Check, On-Going, though I slip up sometimes but get back on the routine!).
7. Maintain a life based on honesty, generosity, kindness, hard work, creativeness, passion, determination, organization, discipline, faith, hope, and integrity (Check - On-Going!).
8. Enjoy the journey - today - instead of looking to the future, the destination and promote mindfulness through meditation and Yoga (Check - On-Going!).
9. Make more time for rest, reading, relaxation, and hobbies (Check - On-Going!).
10. Pay off all debt, including my house, and save money for a rainy day and retirement (Working On It, Long-Term Project!).
11. Grow old with my soul mate.
12. Write a best-selling novel (I have one sitting in a desk drawer and another one plotted!).
13. Play tennis several times each week (Tennis is my favorite sport - plan to get back to it!).
14. Learn to play golf.
15. Spice up my wardrobe (Check - On-Going!).
16. Clean and organize my house and keep it that way (Check - On-Going!).
17. Simplify my life (Check - On-Going!).
18. Stop buying 'stuff' - I have enough (Check And Double Check!!).
19. Meet new friends who share my interests in writing, the arts, music, animals, books, sports, gardening, and politics (Check - On-Going!).
20. Give back to the community, both via time and money and show daily gratitude (Check - On-Going!).
21. Travel to Italy and Greece - learn to speak Italian (Working On Learning Italian for 2012 Transatlantic Cruise From Rome - 15 Days - Check, So Happy!!).
22. Travel to London and Spain.
23. Travel to Paris in the Spring.
24. Travel to Egypt, cruise the Nile.
25. Run or walk marathon(s) - the 60-mile Breast Cancer 3-Day counts (2008 & 2009 & 2013) - (Check!  Continue To Train!) [Served As Camp Services Captain in 2010-2011, possibly 2012]
26. Learn more advanced Yoga (Fits & Starts).
27. Read more books - at least one, or two, each month (Check - On-Going!)
28. Adopt kittens and a dog (Check - Three Kittens In 2010!  Looove Them!).
29. Travel to the Grand Canyon as part of a cross-country road trip.
30. Visit all 50 U.S. States (Check - On-Going Work In Progress).
31. Publish best-selling books of my photographs ((Work In Progress - This Is Big Goal 2012-2014)..
32. Publish best-selling calendars of my photos, and I Resolve To . . .  strategies (Work In Progress - This Is Big Goal 2012-2014).
33. See my photos hanging in museums while I am still alive (Dream Large, Small Steps!).
34. Master Adobe Photoshop (Check! Working On It, On-Going!).
35. Lighten up, have more fun and laugh more (Check - On-Going!).
36. Work less hard (This One Is Hard - Relaxing More, But Need To Be Consistent!).
37. Take more vacations (Check - Caribbean in 2011 - Europe 2012!).
38. Swim regularly during the summer (Check - On-Going!)
39. Meditate daily, stretch and use free weights (Check!  Working On 3-6 Days Week!).
40. Spend a couple months in Australia, visit Puerto Rico, Aculpulco, Bahamas (Check!)
41. Help save animals and improve their lives (Check!  Donate!).
42. Grow Roses (Check - One Growing Shrub, More On The Way!).
43. Learn to make Creme Brulee (Check!  I bought The 'How To Kit' in 2008!).
44. Lunch at the Russian Tea Room.
45. Visit the top of the Empire State Building.
46. Walk the length of the Brooklyn Bridge a second, third, fourth time!
47. Make my mark on the world (Check - Work In Progress, Daily!).
48. Stop to 'smell the roses', 'make each day New Year's Day', and 'make each day count' (Check! - I Do My Wonderful 5-Mile Walks 3-5 Days Each Week - Walking Meditation!).
49. Read, or re-read, all of Ernest Hemingway's books (Working On It - Latest Is The Old Man And The Sea, January 2012!).
50. Visit the Taj Mahal.
51. Take more frequent trips with my friends and family (Check - Working On It!).
52. Take more frequent regional weekend trips - explore and enjoy new adventures (Chec - Working On It!)
53. Create a Foundation to help children, animals and the elderly.
54. Take more breaks during the workday - UnPlug (Check - On-Going!).
55. Try something new each day and learn new things each day (Check - On-Going!).
56. Perform daily PreMeditated Acts Of Kindness (Check - Especially In Traffic!).
57. Take daily walks as part of my training for annual Breast Cancer 3-Day Walks (Check - On-Going, 3-5 Days Week).
58. Be open-minded, less stubborn and more flexible (Check - Working On It!).
59. Bake a cake from scratch and make a turkey with all the fixings.
60. Recycle, Reuse, Reduce - Give The Boot To My Carbon Footprint (Check - On-Going, I Am Re-Doubling Efforts In 2012)!
61. Travel to Great Britain for Wimbledon.
62. Travel to New York for the U.S. Open Tennis Championships.
63. Appreciate more sunsets and sunrises (Check - On-Going, Love This Daily Resolve!).
64. Count my blessings each and every day (Check - On-Going, Every Single Day!!).
65. Stop complaining (Check And Double-Check - On-Going!).
66. Photograph the Maine coast.
67. Visit Santa Fe, New Mexico
68. Write and photograph daily - (Check! Getting Back To My Routine After Time Away In 2010-2011 - Had To Focus On Work During Rough, Tough Recession). 
69. Eat more fruit and vegetables, daily (Check - Working On This, Need To Do Better, Small Steps!).
70. Drink adequate water, hydrate (Check - On-Going, Water Bottle Is My Friend!).
71. Worry less, it all works out, stay positive (Check - On-Going!).
72. Build an Erector Set city that I can photograph in black and white - do a show!
73. Smile more often, smile at strangers (Check - On-Going!).
74. Think before I speak and listen more (Check - On-Going!  I Occasionally Open Mouth, Insert Foot, And Promptly Apologize!).
75. Break out of my routines, try new things and dare to be different (Check - On-Going!).
76. Maintain a fabulous garden (Check - On-Going, Need To Do More Work, Love Gardening!).
77. Enjoy each new day as if it is my last (Check - On-Going!).
78. Show up every day, do my best, and know that it was good enough (Check  - On-Going!).
79. Visit Toronto.
80. Visit Ireland and do a walking tour in the countryside.
81. Bike more frequently outdoors.
82. Make family photo scrapbooks for my family members and scrapbooks for my resolutions.
83. Make things right when I have been wrong, apologize (Check!  On-Going, I Am Not Afraid To Apologize).
84. Admit when I'm wrong (Check - On-Going!).
85. Practice what I preach, lead by example, talk can be cheap (Check - On-Going!).
86. Take a two week cruise in Europe, including Italy and Greece with my sisters and Mom (Check For Me In 2012! - Hope One Day With Family).
87. Read more of the classics.
88. Read newspapers before they are several days old (Check!  Reduced Subscriptions To Weekend; Read Online Weekdays!).
89. Be bold, be nice, do good - Volunteer (Check And Double Check - On-Going!!).
90. Get adequate sleep (Check - On-Going!).
91. Learn to bake pies.
92. Cook a couple days each week (Check - On-Going!).
93. Learn the names of the different kinds of birds that inhabit my six acres.
94. Learn the names of the plants, shrubs and trees that inhabit my six acres.
95. Be a Resolutionista:  Make resolutions.  Keep resolutions.  Enjoy the journey (CHECK!!  I Live This Lifetime Resolution, On-Going Lifetime Resolution!).
96. Do What I Love.  Love What I Do.  Achieve My LifeTime Dreams List (CHECK!! On-Going Lifetime Resolution!).
97. Earn a Bachelor of Science Degree and Masters Degree (Check, Long Ago, But Never Stop Learning!)
98. Buy a home that I love, care for it with love (Check - On-Going, Love Home Projects!)
99. Build a business that I love, expand and thrive - work from home (Check - Work In Progress!).
100. Stop smoking (Check, Long Ago, Thank Goodness!!).

That is my updated list of the moment!  And "yes", I have achieved many of the resolutions (and dozens that are not listed here - I do keep track in my journals, as I mentioned above, because success inspires and breeds more success).  Now it is your turn to put pen to paper and draft a 'Lifetime Resolution List' of your own. It is an interesting, informative and inspirational exercise, as it helps dreamers like you and me to focus attention around the things that are truly important.  Just think, if each one of us pursues one dream each year, that amounts to dozens of achievements in a lifetime . . . a life of doing what you love and loving what you do!

This is just a snapshot of the many ingredients that are necessary to make and keep a New Year Resolution. Bottom line: All the books, videos, systems, blogs, and advice in the world can't generate results 'for you' - they are simply tools. If you truly want to achieve a dream, change something about yourself, or create a new habit, it is entirely up to you to make it happen with ingenuity, hard work and sacrifice. It is your choice. It is up to you. Only you can make your resolution a reality . . . but the joy and reward you will find along the way will make the journey worth it!

Remember:  I Resolve To . . . Achieve My New Year Resolutions, One Resolution, One Day At A Time For One Year.®  It's your choice.  Do it today. Turn your resolution into reality in five simple, common sense steps:  Dare To Dream, Decide, Define, Develop A Plan, and Do It Daily. Make your resolution a permanent Lifetime Resolution, something that's with you for good!  Above all, Be A Resolutionista, someone who makes resolutions, keeps resolutions, and enjoys the journey!  Let's Go For It!

Need More Inspiration?  Wear Your Resolution By Visiting The I Resolve To . . . Shop At CafePress:  IResolve To . . . Resolutionista Gear And By Joining The Official I Resolve To . . . Group At Gather.Com.   Get going on your 2012 New Year Resolutions with the I Resolve . . . To Worksheet.  View my 2009-2012 Health & Happiness Tapestry by clicking through Daily Resolve Photo-Resolutions.

Kim M. Simpson - January 5, 2012
Copyright © I Resolve To® . . . * All Rights Reserved.

Fourth Annual I Resolve To® . . . Challenge: 365 Resolutions For Health & Happiness!

Are you ready for the New Year . . . a new blank page on which you can write the next chapter in your life story?  Are you ready for a challenge?  If so, please join me in the coming year in taking the Fourth Annual I Resolve To® . . . Challenge:  365 Resolutions For Health & Happiness. I started the 'Challenge' in 2009 when I created my photo tapestry of 'Daily Resolves'.  Small daily steps that you can take for health and happiness that add up to big results over time.  Patience, Passion, Persistence, Pays!

The mission, should you choose to accept it, is very simple:  Do at least one thing each and every day to promote health and happiness for 'YOU'.  If you do at least one thing each day, that is one victory each day . . . wonderful positive momentum and achievement that starts small, but grows over time like money earning interest in the bank!  The list of possibilities is infinite and should be tailored to your own dreams, resolutions and daily goals.  I am not going to presume to suggest dreams and resolutions that you should pursue, that is up to you;  but I hope you will find inspiration here at I Resolve To . . . In the coming year, make every day New Year's Day.  Make every day count.  If you need some help - a little nudge, tips, advice, and news about the best ways to make resolutions a reality - please use IResolveTo.Com as one of your resources. 

In 2012 I will continue to post Health & Happiness Resolutions, also known as 'Daily Resolves' in photo-resolution form, to spur your creative juices and mine!  I believe in leading by example.  I practice what I preach and I put my energy where my mouth is.  One of my mottos is "Do what you love.  Love what you do".  I live by that creed.  Each year, I pursue dreams, resolutions and daily goals that are on my 'Lifetime Resolution List'.  Exercise, for instance, is one of my 'Lifetime Resolutions'.  I post my Photo-Resolutions - Daily Resolves - in seven categories randomly interspersed through the year to keep attention focused in each area:

1. Food/Nutrition
2. Health/Exercise
3. Gratitude/Giving Back/Spirituality/Values
4. Fun/Adventure
5. Work/Dreams/Creativity
6. Home/Family/Friends
7. Lessons Learned/Accountability

A bit of history:  In 2005 I launched my first blog around my creative interests (writing and photography) and my New Year Resolution to exercise every day.  I tracked my daily exercise on a wall calendar, daybook and Blog, in an informal, mini-case study, and found that I exercised 80 percent of the year.  In 2006 and 2007 I tracked my exercise resolution, and explored creative writing and photography projects.  Most importantly, I also formally launched I Resolve To . . . in an effort to help others with their resolutions via simple, common sense strategies and systems that I developed out of my own resolution experiences, research and lessons learned.  During the past seven years I have used myself as an informal case study to determine what works and what doesn't work. 

Fast-forward:  In 2008, I paired my love of sports and exercise with my resolution to 'give back' and 'show gratitude for all that I have and all that I am' - my theme for the year.  I trained for, and participated in, the Washington, DC Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk October 3-5, 2009.  I got plenty of exercise, met wonderful people, and raised more than $3000 for Breast Cancer Research.  It was a fabulous experience and I fulfilled two of my resolutions.  I was so inspired, the next year I did the October 9-11, 2009 Washington, DC Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk and raised nearly $3000 for Breast Cancer Research.  I served as the Camp Services Captain for the October 7-10, 2010 and September 23-25, 2011 Walks in Washington, DC Walk and donated my time and skills throughout the year help make the walk a huge success.  I am happy to say that I signed up to Volunteer for the October 12-14, 2012 Washington, DC 3-Day and will serve was the Camp Services Captain if needed.  I am committed to working toward a cure so that one day women will no longer suffer with this horrible disease. 

As part of my 'gratitude theme', I also made resolutions to be consciously kind through 'PreMeditated Acts of Kindness', 'Give The Boot To My Carbon Footprint' (by learning more about how to protect the environment and taking action), and volunteer my time on a Virginia Horse Rescue Farm.  I have made good on three out of four gratitude resolutions in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and I intend to achieve all four resolutions in 2012 (I intend to finally make quality time to volunteer on a nearby Horse Rescue Farm!).  Bottom-line:  My dreams, resolutions and goals move gradually from spark of an idea to concrete results because I 'decide on a course of action, schedule tasks, and follow through with the tasks each day' . . . I turn 'To Do's' into 'Ta Da's' through patience, passion and persistence.

One simple way that I like to frame resolutions:  Resolutions with a 'Capital R' and resolutions with a 'Small r'.  Resolutions with a 'Capital R' are major life-changing pursuits (full-blown dreams, made specific with a firm, dedicated one-sentence resolution that states the 'who, what, when, where, and why, and how' of the intention, and made real with concrete daily action over the course of one year, or sometimes several years).   Resolutions with a 'Small r' are simple 'Daily Resolves' (small tasks and activities) that build new habits that promote health and happiness over time.  In a circular way of thinking:  'Small r' resolutions (Daily Resolves) also are the small daily steps that cumulatively enable us to achieve major dreams over the long haul. 

The I Resolve To . . . Challenge at its most basic level can be aimed at 'Small r' activities . . . in an effort to get folks in the habit of doing a minimum of one thing every single day that will promote good health, happiness and joy.  Some days you may do just one 'Small r'.  Other days you may do 20!  The bottom-line:   Pursue at least one health and happiness resolution, one day at a time, for one year - for you!  At the end of a year, you may discover that those 'Small r' Daily Resolves helped you not only promote health and happiness, but also to make a dream a reality via focus, commitment, passion, patience, and persistence - all key ingredients to success in achieving any size resolution!

Personally, in 2012, I again am taking my dreams, resolutions and daily goals to the next level.  I intend to continue my exercise program, tackle 'Daily Resolves' each and every day, participate in the 2012 Washington, DC Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk by volunteering, engage in PreMeditated Acts of Kindness, Give The Boot To My Carbon Footprint, and volunteer on a Horse Rescue Farm.  These activities will enable me to make good on my on-going theme to 'give back by showing gratitude' - and for the second year in a row I will focus on the theme that actually sits at the core of I Resolve To . . . - RESOLVE = RESULTS.  In 2012, I plan to use my resolve to promote big results for my top priorities (my plan of action is written and ready to go!).  FINISHING longtime projecs is on my list of prioriies.

That said, in 2012, I also am heading into year number four of my creative project, which is a full-blown dream - my own personal version of the I Resolve To . . . Challenge.  In 2009 I successfully wedded my love of photography and writing by creating 365 unique, inspirational Photo-Resolutions - 365 Resolutions For Health & Happiness.  My intention in creating 365 Photo-Resolutions was/is to inspire myself and others to 'Do What You Love. Love What You Do' - and in turn, make and keep New Year Resolutions by keeping them front and center every single day.  I don't propose anything in my 365 Resolutions For Health & Happiness that I don't already do, or intend to do (or have accomplished).  Each resolution is part of the tapestry that is my life and serves as a playbook for my current and future health and happiness resolutions.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I turn the fruits of my creative 'Photo-Resolution' labor into short videos meant to encourage others to continue taking one small step after another toward dreams each and every day.  In 2012, these colorful, inspirational images will continue to be released in a series of I Resolve To® . . . Daily Resolve Calendars and new merchandise to help folks keep dreams and resolutions front and center.  Stay tuned - close friends will receive initial prototypes this week!  

To browse through the photo-resolutions in video-format click thorough the links below . . .

• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #1 - January 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #2 - February 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #3 - March 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #4 - April 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #5 - May 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #6 - June 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #7 - July 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #8 - August 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #9 - September 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #10 - October 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #11 - November 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #12 - December 2009
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #13 - January 2010
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #14 - February 2010
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #15 - March 2010
• I Resolve To . . . Challenge Video #16 - April 2010

In closing, my on-going mission is to provide folks with a simple, common sense system, tips, resources, and advice about making and keeping resolutions.  The catch is that I am not advocating resolution-setting in the traditional sense:  Making a wish at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve about something that you want to 'stop doing', or something that you feel you 'should be doing'.  Based on statistics, chances are good, those resolutions will fail without a different approach.  I also am not urging you to tackle a new major, life-altering resolution each month because it is an unrealistic proposition given the crush of ordinary daily responsibilities.  Instead, I urge you to consider focusing on one theme and a handful of resolution categories for your Challenge, or perhaps one major dream and a couple smaller projects that you can make real with Daily Resolves.  Don't set yourself up for failure by biting off far more than you can chew!

I also urge you to open your mind and change the way you think about New Year Resolutions.  They can be powerful tools if handled properly.  Instead of 'giving up' on New Year Resolutions, change the paradigm.  Lose the fear of coloring outside the lines.  Try a new approach.  If you have been making, and failing to keep, the same resolutions year after year, stop!   In 2011, do something positive just for you.    Do what you love and love what you do!  Give the I Resolve To . . . Challenge a shot. When you have built momentum and are confidently achieving daily 'Small r' resolutions, I urge you to choose one dream about which you have great desire, interest, and passion, then 'go for it'.  Define your resolution - the 'who, what, when, where, why, and how' that will make it a reality.  Build a plan with a timeline and deadlines, and follow through with at least one small step each day to make that dream a reality.  Think of the journey as a 365-day marathon, not a 30-day sprint.  But keep in mind, you don't have to run the whole marathon today. Today you simply need to take that first step, and one step tomorrow, and another step the next day.  Passion, Patience, Persisetence Pays! Resolve365!

This is just a snapshot of the many ingredients that are necessary to make and keep a New Year Resolution. Bottom line: All the books, videos, systems, blogs, and advice in the world can't generate results 'for you' - they are simply tools. If you truly want to achieve a dream, change something about yourself, or create a new habit, it is entirely up to you to make it happen with ingenuity, hard work and sacrifice. It is your choice. It is up to you. Only you can make your resolution a reality . . . but the joy and reward you will find along the way will make the journey worth it!

Remember:  I Resolve To . . . Achieve My New Year Resolutions, One Resolution, One Day At A Time For One Year.®  It's your choice.  Do it today. Turn your resolution into reality in five simple, common sense steps:  Dare To Dream, Decide, Define, Develop A Plan, and Do It Daily. Make your resolution a permanent Lifetime Resolution, something that's with you for good!  Above all, Be A Resolutionista, someone who makes resolutions, keeps resolutions, and enjoys the journey!  Let's Go For It!

Need More Inspiration?  Wear Your Resolution By Visiting The I Resolve To . . . Shop At CafePress:  IResolve To . . . Resolutionista Gear And By Joining The Official I Resolve To . . . Group At Gather.Com.   Get going on your 2012 New Year Resolutions with the I Resolve . . . To Worksheet.  View my 2009-2012 Health & Happiness Tapestry by clicking through Daily Resolve Photo-Resolutions.

Kim M. Simpson - January 4, 2012
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