How resolved is your resolution?

Now that it’s officially 2014, it’s time to make good on that resolution you made during your New Year’s Eve party. And while the thought of it may add yet another dimension to the post-party haze, it’s comforting to know that at least some people make good on them.
 In fact, according to a study in Forbes Magazine, the stuff that resolutions are made of — or that is, the desire for self-improvement, is what drives more than 40 percent of Americans to cut the deal in the first place. 

 But sadly, for all the good intentions, only a few of us actually achieve our goal — just 8-percent, according to research done by Scranton University. Gauloises cigarettes.
 What we say we’ll do may surprise you.
 According to a poll conducted by General Nutrition Centers and Quicken, the fifth most popular resolution made by Americans is simply to enjoy life more.
 Based on our hectic lifestyles, and how most of us struggle to make ends meet, it’s no wonder that “enjoying life more” has become a more popular resolution in recent years. Let’s face it — enjoying life more leads to a happier and healthier you.
 The fourth most popular resolution among Americans is to quit smoking. Fortunately, many over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapies now give smokers easier access to proven remedies. The average smoker will try to quit four times before successfully kicking the habit for good. If this is your resolution, look to free support services, hotlines, and other smoking cessation classes to help you become one of the successful 8 percent.
 The third resolution on the American list is, you guessed it — losing weight. With more than 66 percent of us considered to be too plump, it’s not surprising to find this one on our list. If this is your choice, boost your chances by keeping it real, setting reasonable goals and staying focused on them.
 Number two on the list is made by those who wish to remain fit by sticking to some sort of a daily or weekly exercise plan. Regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure and even improves arthritis.
 Spending time with family and friends tops the resolution list. More than 50 percent of Americans vow to appreciate and spend more time with friends and family members, promising to meet with friends for an evening of fun, or take the family on a vacation or on routine outings for fun.
 While former Fenton resident Steve McNamara said he often makes New Year’s resolutions, rarely does he keep them. “I’m always vowing to lose weight in the New Year,” McNamara said. “I’ll get a good start on it, but by the end of January, I’m usually back to my old eating habits.”
 More often than not, people who fail to keep their resolutions blame it on their own lack of willpower. In fact, the surveys conducted by the University of Scranton indicate that the would-be resolvers repeatedly say if they had more self-determination, they would have overcome the obstacles and achieved their goals.
 “It’s like I don’t have enough willpower,” McNamara said. “I actually do better on giving things up for Lent because it’s a shorter timeframe,” he said. “It’s easier to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
 Whatever your resolution may be, there are several things you can do to better your chances of succeeding.
Keep it simple
 Many folks use the New Year as an opportunity to create huge bucket lists or attempt extreme makeovers, whether it be personal or professional. While it’s a nice aspiration, experts agree that this type of approach is doomed to failure, and that shooting for the moon can be so psychologically daunting, you’ll end up failing to launch in the first place.
Make it tangible
 Goals should be bound by rational, achievable metrics. In fact, making a resolution to lose weight isn’t all that easy to follow. It’s a lot easier to come up with a plan for cutting all of the fast food, potato chips and ice cream out of the diet for six weeks. Instead of saying, you’re going to start going to the gym in 2013, be more specific and set a clear ambition like attending a weekly class, or lifting weights every Tuesday and Thursday.
Never stop believing
 It all boils down to this — you have as much willpower as you think you have, which means that on some level, your journey toward self-improvement will be a self-fulfilling prophecy.