Killer New Years' Resolutions

Every year, millions of people do not keep them. So, how do you make a killer New Years' Resolution that means something and that you will keep.

Firstly, you need the tools. Forget trying to remember them. Write them down! Put copies up everywhere from when you open your cupboard to work out what to wear each day, to on your mirror in your bathroom, in your diary and as your screen saver on your laptop.

Secondly, tell your family and friends and ask them to make you accountable.

A New Years' Resolution is your commitment to yourself. It can be a goal, project or the reforming of a habit like smoking, eating too much chocolate or thinking negatively.

Breaking them up into different categories often helps and creating a list in order of priority and importance can make things much easier.

In previous years, I use to have a motto and live the year by that motto. Now, to be more effective, I like to put a list together that means something to me.

Here goes!

Personal

1.  To laugh more. Find ways that even on the most bleakest of days, I laugh.
2.  Be a better friend to those who I care about. Sometimes we get so busy in life, we tend to invest our time with people who demand it rather then people we want to spend time with. Making a list of people who are most important to your life and putting them as a priority in your diary will ensure that you touch base more frequently, even if its just for a coffee.
3.  Open myself up more to possibility. If we don't open ourselves up to possibility, we become stagnant.
4.  Challenge myself physically through exercise and sport.
5.  Learn how to be stress free. As a self-confessed stress head, I know I have a problem and there is no time like 2012 to fix it. Whether its meditation, counselling, eating better, or learning the lessons I have not learned before, its something that I need to do.
6. Learn to love more. We all come with our own issues, but love is such a beautiful thing. I love my dog more than anything in the world and it gives me so much satisfaction in doing so. I look at her every day and smile because of the bond and love we share.
7.  Help those less fortunate. Ozchild or any other charity that is committed to making the world a better place is high on the 2012 agenda.
8. Stop feeling guilty that I am passionate about travel and experiences. I almost feel embarrassed when I tell people I am hopping on a plane. It's time to stop. We are all built differently and if travel is what I enjoy doing, then so be it!
9.  Take more risks. Once a colleague of mine said to me that I always achieve my goals because I don't make goals that are risky and my benchmark is too low. So, taking educated risks that may take me out of my comfort zone is now a New Years' Resolution.
10.  Family come first. Full stop.

Business

1.  Expand into the US market
2.  Read more business books about successful entrepreneurs, how to be a better manager, how to lead.
3.  Re-launch my other business in the market
4.  Less time in the office, more time working from remote places
5.  Encourage the 'team' to be more flexible with where they do their jobs. They sit in the office for 8 to 10 hours each day and they all have laptops. Go sit in a park, at the beach or at home and be inspired. Not everyday, but at least once a week. Travelling to work each day is the pits!
6.  Write more.
7.  Double sales from January to December 2012.
8.  Be more focused on the numbers and leave the creative to those who are employed to do it.
9.  Do every single item in my business plan - with no exception.
10.  Create a happy and inspired environment. We can all improve in this area.

Mellissah Smith, Atlanta.