Resolutions are often a formula for failure, many say

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Thursday, December 29, 2005

Resolutions are often a formula for failure, many say

By MARY MEEHAN

Knight Ridder Newspapers

Go ahead: Smoke, drink, keep eating chocolate.

Celebrate this new year by skipping the whole resolution rigmarole.

Because, if you're like 90 percent of Americans, by the middle of

February you'll be back to those old behaviors anyway.

Resolutions are " one of the nation's most masochistic traditions, "

according to Shapiro, an author who recently released a

survey on the topic.

People set themselves up for failure by leaping into an often-

drastic life change without a plan on how to execute it, said

Shapiro. It's not that the Boston-based author is against improving

your life - after all, he's written the how-to book " Goal Free

Living: How to Have the Life You Want Now. "

He just thinks people go about it all wrong. It's time to break the

long tradition of resolutions, he said.

" Society has done this to people, and we've convinced ourselves that

this is what we ought to be doing, " he said.

According to the Farmer's Almanac, the tradition of resolutions for

the new year goes back to the time of ancient Rome. It was thought

that the beginning of the year was a good time to clear up

outstanding debts and return any borrowed farm equipment.

Now people are more likely to swear they will lose weight, quit

smoking, start exercising or save money. Year after year after year,

the same promises are made.

" When you do this every year, and every year you are setting the

same stupid goal, that should tell you something, " said e, a

life strategist and author of " Don't Let Others Rent Space in Your

Head. "

He suggests first thinking about why you want to change a particular

behavior and what price you are willing to pay to get there. If you

want to lose weight for your health, for example, are you willing to

give up cheese and pastrami in the middle of the night? If the

answer is yes, you can begin to take small steps toward the goal,

praising whatever step in the right direction you can take.

If you forgo the resolution this year, you'll be part of a trend,

Shapiro said.

A few years ago, some 88 percent of people made New Year's

resolutions. Now, he said, the number is closer to 45 percent.

People instead should try thinking of a theme for their year - say,

the year of health. Throughout the year, he said, plan activities

that fit with that theme. For some, that might start out by going to

a spa or taking a vitamin. He said if you get a little more true joy

out of life, it might provide the motivation you need to take the

tougher steps - such as starting a diet.

The idea, he said, isn't to deny yourself, but to " enjoy life and

live it fully. "