A friend of mine doesn’t like to set New Year’s Resolutions that she knows aren’t going to happen, so instead she does what I jokingly call ‘hindsight resolutions.” She takes some time at the turn of the year to look back on the previous 12 months and think about all that she’s accomplished. I tried it last year, and it’s a real pick-me-up. After thinking about all that I accomplished last year, it’s easier to make realistic resolutions. I also highly recommend writing your resolutions down somewhere where you’ll see them regularly, like in your day planner. Putting it in pen makes the goal seem more of an official commitment, and can serve as a constant reminder/motivator.

Another fun twist we’ve tried in my family is to suggest New Year’s Resolutions for other family members. My daughter might resolve that her little brother won’t go in her room for a whole year. Or my son my suggest that I resolve to make homemade pizza once a week. Clearly they’re mostly jokes, but sometimes they work out, like the time I resolved my husband wouldn’t wear socks with holes in them that year.