On New Year’s day many people resolve to lead healthier lives. This year, my sister Bridget, resolved to "…take any avoidable pain out of my life." (Sounds pretty healthy to me.)

Sticking to that resolution, she chose not to join friends on a recent ski trip. She heard that her now ex-boyfriend would be skiing with his new girlfriend on the trip. That decision cost her a non-refundable deposit of two hundred dollars, but preserved of her peace of mind. Something she thought was well worth the price.

I don’t believe in the adage ‘it takes twenty one days to develop a new habit ’ It takes much more time, persistence and expense than that. Here are four important ideas to increase your chances of making your New Year’s Resolutions this years permanent lifestyle habits:

Have you ever tried to focus binoculars on stage performers? For awhile, everything looks fuzzy and suddenly, everything becomes crystal clear. The secret to getting a clear focus is holding very still while you adjust the lens. You can’t be moving forward while adjusting at the same time. We just attended Walt Disney on Ice. I wanted to see Cinderella up close, so I tried zooming in on her while she was gliding over the ice. All I got was dizzy. I finally saw her clearly when she stood still for the finale. You need to stop, look, adjust and focus-before you move ahead in your choices.

A clear vision takes your generalized desire and shapes it into a clear, definable goal. Research shows that writing goals down is critical to achieving them. The clearer the vision of what you want out of your life is, the greater your chances are of making it happen. A vague sense of wanting to eat better, lose weight or exercise more regularly won’t keep you going once the New Year’s "inspiration" has fizzled out.

If you are planning to eat healthier you will first need to examine your individual nutritional needs, lifestyle, cooking interests, budget, basic nutritional knowledge and support systems before plunging into an eating plan. Analyzing your needs in these areas will prevent you from suffering from a losing-gaining cycle which is filled with disappointment and frustration.

What happens to sabotage your intent to live healthier? It seems we start to alter our vision of what we can accomplish while we work to reduce the stress and frustration created when faced with challenging or difficult lifestyle choices. For instance, Jim was exercising consistently until he got bronchitis. Ever since his recovery, he hasn’t been able to get going again. Jill was eating healthier until her husband and kids said, "Enough of this rabbit food.." So, she gave up her resolve to eat smarter. Don’t compromise! Rather, look at your goals and ask yourself if they are the right ones for you at this time in your life. Do you have enough information and support to make consistently positive choices?

To be more healthy, vital, and energetic you need to make a fundamental choice to live as a healthy person would. Self sabotage filters in first through your self-talk. Thinking of choices as "depriving yourself," instead of fueling or strengthening yourself can alert you to a negative change in your commitment.

Do you have doubts about your ability to achieve the goal of living healthier? That’s okay, that’s the norm. Success will come when you hold fast to your vision while remaining in touch with your current reality. Try not to let your emotions dictate your commitment level to your goal, the more you use your moods as a barometer in your life, the more you are subject to the transitory whims of how you happen to feel at any given moment.

If your emotions become the dominant factor to your commitment, the power in your life becomes "how I happen to feel," not "what I truly want." Like the temperature in Minnesota, it can go up and down quite a bit in just one day. (Unfortunately, the mercury goes downward far too often.) It’s important to focus on results, not moods. Want power will take over when quitting seems appealing.

If your success paradigm includes being healthy and energetic, you will choose to live differently than those around you. You choose to eat better and exercise regularly because you can, not because you have to. You don’t "have to" get up earlier for a reflective quiet time, you choose to. You don’t "have to" make time for friends, you choose to. Freedom of choice, a powerful tool!

Following through on small steps to healthier living is more important than grand commitments to change everything at once. Small choices create the health and balance you are craving. For instance, packing a healthy lunch, getting a massage instead of completing one more project for the day, going on a spontaneous walk with your children or grandchildren, or bringing your gym bag so you can exercise after work. Your current reality (your schedule, family & work responsibilities, budget, knowledge, etc.), is not your enemy when it comes to living healthier, it’s your foundation and starting point.

The determining factor for living healthier this year is not based on your past, your genetic code, your astrology or your willpower, but rather what your want power. To stay fired up to achieve those resolutions, make positive, healthy choices not because you have to, but because you can. Each small choice hails in victory, health and success. Stop. Focus your binoculars in on the vision of being a healthy person. Get a clear sense of how you feel, look and think differently than when you were less conscious of your choices. Soon, your vision will be as close as your mirror. Besides, it’s Spring-a time for new beginnings, growth and new life. May you experience all of these in abundance. God Bless!

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