New Year's Resolutions

"40 to 45% of American adult make one or more resolutions each year.
Among the top new years resolutions are resolutions about weight loss, exercise, and stopping to smoke. Also popular are resolutions dealing with better money management / debt reduction."



What I don't understand is why people make resolutions only once a year??  Although research shows that making resolutions is useful and people who explicitly make them are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't, New Year's resolutions wane after the first month, and only 20% maintain the resolutions past Valentine's Day.  If you set the bar too high you may be setting yourself up for failure.  My belief is that small attainable resolutions should be made all throughout the year. 


Perhaps it is time to try a NEW approach. Rather than look at self-improvement, it may be better to look outward and try to improve the lives of others. This will have the affect of changing one's own life at the same time.  Volunteering not only has a positive effect on the volunteer, it can also open doors to employment and is an excellent resume builder.  Making the world a better place starts at home and in the local community. Trying to lose the last 5 pounds as a New Year's resolution pales in comparison to what can be gained from volunteering time and energy to a cause close to one's heart.