Why is it that the New Year inspires people to change their lives? Does the stroke of midnight somehow imbue us with more willpower? If you'd like to make a few improvements in 2011, more power to you. Happily, making resolutions is a free activity and, therefore, one which we support. But, before you go all nuts with the checklist, we've got a few suggestions for helping you create and stick with your New Year's resolutions.

Here goes:

1. Make realistic goals. If you say you’re going to achieve world peace in 2011, then you're setting yourself up for disappointment (been to the Middle East lately?). This may seem unimportant. After all, shoot for the moon and land in the stars and all that good stuff. But, you want to remain inspired by your own ability to accomplish what you set out to do. Thus…

2. Commit to concrete steps. The fuzzy "I want to feel good about myself" has a lot of room for interpretation. Do you want to lose 10 lbs? Then commit to eliminating one unhealthy snack food from your diet and walking around the block at least 3 times a week. Notice how that target is a realistic objective with a defined plan to back it up.

3. Explore your motivation. Here's the thing about a goal: if you don't really believe in it, then you won't work to achieve it. That's called buy-in. If your friends keep telling you to lose the weight (we're just carrying over the example, not calling you fat) but you think you look good, then you won't bother sticking to the plan. So, before you decide on a resolution, consider carefully whether it is one for which you are really ready to take action.

4. Keep it short. Getting overwhelmed with promises to yourself helps no one. We recommend picking one top priority. If you can't help yourself, max out your list at three. When you're really focused on a goal, it takes a lot of time and energy. So choose carefully.

5. Get support. This is different for everyone. Some people need significant others to take over dish-washing and others need a weekly check-in call from a friend. Figure out what will help you stick to your plan and then ask for help. Reactions may range from enthusiastic support to chagrin. It happens. For a whole host of reasons, many individuals are threatened by change and may take that out on you. However, you are much more likely to find that the people who care about you are happy and ready to help. If no one is supportive, you may need to assess why.

So, armed with our advice, we hope you figure out a good goal for the New Year. Here's to new opportunities!