Holiday Tips - Ultimate New Year's Resolution

Tips for Making Resolutions that Can Have Long-Lasting Effects

Advice Seeker: Dear April,

I've been mulling over what my New Year's resolution might be. Basically, every year I make a lofty decision and usually throw the whole thing out the window by March. Do you have any tips on reasonable, and effective, New Year's resolutions?

Sincerely,

Undecided

April Masini's advice:

Dear Undecided,

One of the best New Year’s resolutions anyone can make is to get their own emotional house in order. The reason that this is the best resolution for so many people is because it’s the building block for pretty much everything else.

I have so many readers write me with questions and problems that are really based on the fact that these people haven’t gotten their emotional lives in order. They have so much emotional clutter in their lives, that they can’t possibly be in touch with what it is that they want in a job, a relationship, etc. People would be a lot more content if they would take care of business, clean up the emotional clutter, and THEN see clearly what’s keeping them from having what they want.