Happy 2008!

I have a confession to make: I don't make New Year's resolutions.

The reason, quite frankly, is that no matter how hard I try to keep them - and I do; really I do! - I don't succeed. Year after year, I end up breaking each and every well-meant resolution, until I'm left feeling guilty, dejected, and deeply disappointed in myself. It's a sad, sad sight to behold, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

This year, however, I decided to try a different tack and am vowing - right here and now - to actually keep a resolution or two. I didn't say keep all of them, because that would be unrealistic. Just one or two. Maybe even three. Now, that seems perfectly fair.

The problem is, I have no idea which resolutions to keep and which, like resolutions past, to abandon, never to be spoken of again.

The best solution I could come up with - at least for now - is to list my resolutions, with no intention of keeping all of them. That way, if I manage to keep a couple, I'll have come out ahead of the game. Smooth move, right?

So, without further ado, here are my 10 New Year's resolutions, in no particular order. Maybe you'd like to join me in a few? (OK, one or two?).

Be well, and... Happy New Year!

Melissa Roske, ACC
Certified Life and Personal Coach
Wheels in Motion Coaching
"Coaching for Women with a Drive for More"
http://www.wheelsinmotioncoaching.com

Telephone: 646-736-8502

10 New Year's Resolutions to Keep NOW

1. Be nicer to loved ones.
If you are my husband, daughter, parents, friends and relatives... that means you! I vow not to snap, pick at, be rude to or in any other way hurt the ones who are important to me.

In conjunction, I'd like to be nicer to the population at large as well: people on the bus; the mailman; the barista at Starbucks. Basically, anyone who crosses my path. That doesn't mean that I will suddenly ooze fake friendliness or make small talk with my fellow commuters. That would be silly, and possibly get me into trouble. No, I'll just try my best to smile, be friendly and not rush through my day like a chicken with its head cut off. That sounds doable.

2. Drink more water.
Let's face it: water is boring. It doesn't have the sexy fizz of Diet Coke or the sweet, sultry flavor of apricot nectar. It's the Wonder Bread of all beverages. But it's essential to a person's well-being, and it's free for the taking. So drink it I must. OK, drink it I'll try.

3. Cut out all nasty habits.
My particular nasty habit - picking at and chewing on my nails and cuticles - has been in existence since I was able to utter the familiar words, "May I have a Band-Aid?" But it's gross, and I must stop. Not only is my habit a bad example for my eight-year-old daughter (who, thank goodness, has been spared), my gnawed-upon fingers look less than appealing. The solution, I hear, is weekly manicures. I guess I could try that. Again, the operative word is try.

4. Take a daily calcium supplement.
This is a no-brainer for any woman over the age of 35, but, needless to say, I often forget. OK, I don't really forget: I don't like swallowing those horse pills otherwise known as Citracal. They're too darn big. Why can't calcium supplements come in a more petite variety? Maybe I should invent one.

5. Stop checking email obsessively.
I know I'm not the only one who does this, but it doesn't make this time-wasting activity any better. Let's say I'm writing something - this blog, for instance - and suddenly I hear the sweet "ding!" of a new email in my inbox. What do I do? I check it IMMEDIATELY, no questions asked! As in right away. As in PRONTO! I don't even wait to finish my thought, or my sentence. I recklessly check, regardless of the repercussions: a lost thought; a run-on sentence; a misspelled word. Why do I do this? For the same reason that a dog can smell its private parts. Because I can (check my email, that is; not the other thing). The question is, how can I stop this feckless behavior? Self-control? Self-punishment? I'll need to think this one over and get back to you.

6. Stop being hair-obsessed.
This one is embarrassing, but I'll share it nevertheless. Anyone who knows me knows that I do not have the soft, silky, manageable hair you see in the photo on my website. In truth, my hair is wild, kinky, and, like a disobedient child, extremely hard to handle. So I straighten it into submission, via weekly appointments to Ivy, the world's most gifted hair stylist. But this weekly ritual is time-consuming, and worrying about the state of my hair prevents me
from - oh, the shame of it! - partaking in activities that might - heaven forbid! - make my hair frizz. We're talking trips to the gym; hot yoga; swimming; saunas... you get the idea. This is silly, I know. But is it possible that you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Or is it that this old dog is simply too vain to LEARN any new tricks? Let me examine this issue further and get back to you. In the meantime, I have a date with my flattening iron...

7. Eat more vegetables.
Everyone knows this is vitally important, but why is it that, for some people (moi?), veggie eating is so darn hard? I mean, I like vegetables well enough. They're OK. But how can a stalk of celery possible compete with a hot-fudge sundae? Or a slab or banana-nut bread? Or a Twinkie? It can't, and it shouldn't try. But I must try to train my brain to think "Carrot!" when I really want "Carrot cake!" Wish my luck. I'll need it.

8. Stop sweating the small stuff.
The house is a mess. I don't have milk in the fridge (again). I forgot to bring my favorite sweater to the dry cleaners - and I need it. NOW. Oh well. Sometimes it's helpful to keep an eye on the bigger picture, and keep the minor, who-cares stuff in check. Otherwise, life simply seems too overwhelming, rendering it impossible to get out of bed in the morning. Slow down. Breathe.
Enough said.

9. Read the newspaper every day.
With a thousand-and-one things to do in any given day (see above), it's easy to forget that there's a big world out there in need of my attention. There's a US presidential race to watch; riots in Kenya to worry about; unrest in Pakistan to ponder... the list goes on and on. And although I, as just one citizen, can't change world events, it's essential to know what's going on; or, at the very least, know the basics so I won't look like a dolt at cocktail
parties (shallow, but true...).

10. Take time for Me-time.
I, like most hardworking women out there, don't give much thought to putting my feet up and talking it easy. After all, who has time? But, for a slew of reasons - both psychological and physical - it's important to make time to chill out. Otherwise, burn out will set in. And you know where that can lead... Therefore, the solution to this problem? Chill, baby, chill!

So, there you have it. My 10 resolutions. Which ones will I keep? Which ones will, like years past, be abandoned to crash and burn? Only time will tell, so stay tuned...

The Mission of Wheels in Motion Coaching

Wheels in Motion Coaching is committed to helping women realize their potential, to successfully balance and streamline their lives, and to attain their goals - one step at a time.

As a Certified Life and Personal Coach and member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), I help women tackle their most intimate problems and deepest dilemmas, in a caring, sensitive and confidential manner. Let me help you too.

Melissa Roske, ACC
Certified Life and Personal Coach
Wheels in Motion Coaching
"Coaching for Women with a Drive for More"
http://www.wheelsinmotioncoaching.com

Telephone: 646-736-8502

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