We all know that the  New Year brings a great opportunity for self improvement and fresh beginnings. Sometimes, New Year Resolutions are over-ambitious, repeated year after year – and often doomed to failure before they begin. So how can you make sure that you change your life – improving your mental, emotional and physical self and become the best you, ever?  Here are some tips:

Make your resolutions objective and measurable and time-based

Rather than state that you will ‘lose weight’, instead, resolve to lose four pounds per month, and plan carefully how you are going to do that. Similarly ‘do more exercise’ can be replaced with a more specific goal of ‘going to the gym twice a week’ and within that goal, you can stipulate what activities you will aim to do at each visit the gym.

Make your goals positive

Do you resolve to ‘give up chocolate’, ‘stop smoking’  or ‘spend less money’? These ideas of restraint sound grim. Perhaps you can see them in a new light: ‘Replace a chocolate bar with a strawberry yogurt’ (or healthy treat of your choice) or ‘draw up a budget’ and ‘list how much money is saved by not smoking’.

Keep track of progress

By having specific goals (for example, losing a certain number of pounds of weight during the month), you can give yourself an additional incentive by giving yourself a celebratory treat if you achieve that goal or sub-goal. No, not a four-cheese stuffed-crust pizza – but something else that you would like instead. How about a new item of clothing that looks good on the slimmed-down you?

Do it now!

Make your resolutions, or one major resolution, in December, rather than thinking up an unlikely list of do’s and don’ts on New Year’s Eve. This will give you a chance to plan your new regime and look forward to the benefits of what you will gain.

Stay on track

You may revert to your former habits from time to time. Rather than give up with your resolutions, if you stray from your intentions, just regard this as an opportunity to resume your new regime with fresh resolve.

Stay motivated

Keep a checklist of how achieving your resolution will help you. Refer to that checklist regularly and write about any further ideas that help you to keep to your resolutions.

Do you have any good tips for sticking to your New Year's resolution? Let us know in the comments below!