The typical word everyone uses every year is resolution but the word also brings up a variety of fears about not achieving your goals year to year. Forty-five percent of all Americans come up with New Year’s resolutions but unfortunately only eight percent achieve them. The majority of people give up before the six month mark. Not very good statistics? It would be a bit discouraging to most of us.

However, this year why don’t you call it  New Year’s Rituals? It sounds different and puts out a different energy. A ritual is something you do consistently until it is a behavior. A ritual is something you do long-term, not just a quick fix change in your life. It is looking at your life down the road, not just the next couple of months. Personally I think you should do inventory of your life throughout the year, not just on New Years, but since New Year’s is tomorrow, let’s jumpstart the year on a positive note!

One more thing to keep in mind- the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results. If you come up with the same resolutions every year, try to achieve them the same way every year, yet fail to achieve them, it may be time to try a new approach or come up with new rituals ( resolutions). I am offering a FREE Health and Life Consult ($100 value) for those of you who are serious about making some long-term life changes. Take advantage of this offer before all of the slots fill up! Here are some helpful tips to get you started:

REFLECT

Get out pen and paper and reflect on 2012. Do an honest assessment of what you accomplished and what you would have liked to have done better.  Are you proud of the success in your business? It will help you brainstorm ideas for 2013 so you can continue the success. Reflecting on the past year, did you realize that your life was so jam-packed that you had little or no time to focus on your health and well-being? Reflection will help you make necessary changes for the coming year.

REFINE AND REACH OUT

After reflecting on the past year it is time to refine a couple specific meaningful goals that you would like to embark on. Don’t come up with a huge list of resolutions that you simply can’t commit to. Start small and work your way up. Come up with some goals that align with your values (losing some weight if you value your health, saving money if you value financial freedom, etc..) and then write down specifically how you are going to fit them into your life. The next phase is to share it with others. The easiest way to fail on your rituals or resolutions is to keep it to yourself- that way nobody knows if you fail or don’t follow through. Share your goals so others can hold you accountable.

RITUALIZE

The key is to make a new behavior (like going to the gym or eating healthier) a habit. Most behaviors take 28 days of consistency to become a habit. Make it easier to succeed. Put out healthy foods on your counter and in your refrigerator for you to grab on the go. Put sticky notes all over your home as reminders to keep going. Find an app you like that will track your success. Keep a workout bag in your car so you can go directly from work.

Guest blogger Leslie Gail is a Life Coach, Author, Host and Mom of two. She hosts a web show on Mom TV, contributes articles to Brooke Burke’s site Modern Mom, and has a passion for helping women create the best version of themselves. You can learn more about Leslie at her website www.newlifefocus.com, where there are also many free articles and resources to help you create your best life.