Setting New Year's Goals

I've never understood the tradition of setting New Year's Resolutions, especially since so many resolutions I hear are very general and then mean absolutely nothing by the end of January. The typical New Year's Resolutions include generic statements such as:

• This year I'm going to lose weight.
• This year I'm going to spend more time with my family.
• I'm finally going to stop smoking. 
• I'm going to get out of debt. 

These are great ideas, but how are they going to be achieved? By making these blanket statement, one does not create an action plan. Goals need to be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic & Timely.

It's January 1st, 2011! Why make resolutions? Make New Year's Goals and back them up with ACTION  plans. The healthy benefits, such as losing weight, will come along as you achieve your goals. Make sure the goals you set are within your control. For instance, I can't set a goal for my daily blood sugar levels or A1C. There are some things such as hormones and stress which affect my blood sugar levels and they are outside of my control. Instead, I need to focus on an ACTION plan which will help me reduce my blood sugar levels.

Over the next week, I'm going to try and set goals for various parts of my life which I will share here:

• Personal Health: fitness
• Spiritual Health: 
• Family Health: finances & meal planning
• Home Health: organized & de-clutters

I'm still trying to flush them for the year and then break them down to monthly goals.

Erin from $5 Dinners said it best:

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and exciting new year…in which you resolve to do nothing but achieve your goals!

Erin, like me, isn't into resolutions, but setting goals and achieving them. What are your goals for 2011?