Makinging Resolutions Stick
You've set your New Year's resolutions: lose weight, travel more, and get a new job. Your resolutions are great—but now comes the hard part. How do you stay motivated? How do you stick with your goals without getting overwhelmed or discouraged? One critical tactic is to break down big goals into smaller, achievable pieces — so instead of setting one big goal that seems impossible, set 3-5 small steps to keep it in check. Start by making a list of your biggest goals for the year, and what you can do to start implementing them. Then, break those down into day-to-day tasks and actions. Finally, if you have a task that's daunting or even scary, break it down even further until it's small enough to handle. You'll be surprised at how easily you can pick up where you left off long before the new year begins—and how much better you'll feel!
"To make things grow,
make use of them.
To make them flourish,
make sure they are still useful.
If you do not make use of it,
it will take you from where you are to where you will soon be;
but if you do use it,
it will already have taken you from where you have been to where you will be" -Lao-Tzu
"And while gratefulness is a great thing—generosity is better. Because gratitude is about looking backward and feeling satisfied. Generosity is about looking forward and willing to be surprised." -Elizabeth Gilbert
"Life is like a coin, you can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once." -Will Rogers
"A goal without a plan is just a wish." -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
"I think that being able to accept sacrifice is the most important thing. Life is about sacrifice. We sacrifice all the time, whether it's to achieve our goals or spend time with loved ones." -Heather O'Reilly
"The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me." -Ayn Rand
"With good reason, therefore, you should regard him as a friend, but not make your friendship so conspicuous as to make him feel a hypocrite. Men can endure adversity, but not deception." -Niccolo Machiavelli
SOME STORIES FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT...
"You must be the change you want to see in the world" -Ghandi
James Lipton interviews actress and writer Carrie Fisher. This is a great glimpse into the mind of one of Hollywood's most well-known iconoclastic actresses. Also, check out her book "Wishful Drinking" which is a hilarious look into her life and Hollywood.
Notable quotes from the interview:
On not having children:
"I'd have to get artificial insemination, with a turkey baster I suppose. I've never had children because I was shamed. Somewhere in my late 20s, probably around the time of '83 or '84, when I said to my mom, "I'm never going to have kids." And she was like "Oh! You're a little young. You can probably still have children." Then I thought, 'Oh God! I am going to get shunned now. They're going to think I'm totally barren.'"
On living a long life:
"What is your big deal? Life is short, you know what I mean? You've just got to live it. The more time you spend worrying about things, the less time you have for living the life you really want. And it's not even that great. You know what I mean? We give ourselves so much trauma – this is what we think will happen: We'll get divorced, we'll flip out, we'll turn into these horrible people who are terrible with our kids. But the truth is, a lot of times it's just people reacting to stuff. I mean, you can't control a lot of things. ..."
She's right!:
"It's true in relationships too. If you're pushing people away by being so rigid or so closed-minded, you're missing out on a lot." -Carrie Fisher
"It is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices" – J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Honourable Mentions:
There were so many great articles published this year that I either forgot about or wasn't able to read for one reason or another. So here are some honourable mentions that I came across that are worth checking out:
And now for the presentation...
This presentation is freely available for anyone to use as a template for their own presentations. If you have any feedback on it, good or bad, please let me know! I'd love to hear from you. Also, if you've found this presentation helpful or would like to spread the word about it, please feel free to share it with your friends.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed the best articles of 2012 and found some interesting, thought-provoking, or even just a few laugh out loud moments this year. I wish everyone a happy and healthy new year in 2013! If you're looking for a way to bring in the new year with happiness and positivity, check out my other post . You can also find me on Facebook , or follow me on Twitter . Safe travels and Happy New Year everyone!
I've been meaning to put out this list for a long time.