We've all made them and broken them, too; The dreaded New Year's Resolution!

Young woman is sad because she has to exercise and eat healthy for holidays.
LittleBee80
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A few years ago, frustrated with the typical "make and break" cycle, I started to think about the "why" behind the idea of a resolution.

From what I can tell, the point of a resolution is to identify a part of our lives we want to improve upon, and then attempt to do better with that in the New Year.

Calendar
Maksim Pasko
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That got me thinking about what I really wanted to improve in my life.

There's always room to improve ourselves physically, sure. And I think it's great that a lot of people make a conscious effort to mark that as their goal.

Instructor Taking Exercise Class
Catherine Yeulet
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But then, inevitably, when we fail somewhere in week number 2 or 3, it derails any real momentum we have to achieve what we set out to do, and so we're left with the rest of the year ahead of us, with no real goal and a feeling of defeat.

Overweight Man sleeping On Exercise Ball
IPGGutenbergUKLtd
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With that in mind, I formulated a plan that would give me that sense of improvement and success, without necessarily changing my physique.

inspiration concept
efks
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My New Year's resolution is something that can improve my life without having me ever set foot inside a gym or limit calories; I made a resolution to get my heart and my head in shape instead!

Watercolor red heart, vector illustration
Varvara Kurakina
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This year, I resolve to learn as many new skills as I can--with a bit of a twist for added fun and incentive: The new skills must come from friends.

It's a win-win-win situation; I get to exercise and expand my mind while spending some quality time with friends, which is good for my heart. It also allows me, as a friend to connect with my friends on a deeper level, and see them from a different perspective.

Caiaimage/Martin Barraud
Caiaimage/Martin Barraud
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In return, I hope to help them feel good about themselves and feel recognized and appreciated for their talents.

I've put feelers out on Facebook already and have already had a ton of people volunteering to teach me all sorts of cool things. Some offered to instruct me on knitting and cooking. Others on how to shoot a gun, or sail a boat!  I could book an entire year's worth of weekends, and some for the next year, too.

A firearm shooting instructor assisting a student at a shooting range.
RichLegg
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It's such a fun and fulfilling resolution to make, and one I'm more likely to keep in the years going forward.

Beautiful woman with confetti at party on gray background
Poike
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So, maybe a shift in the way you make your resolutions might help you keep them in the coming New Year. It's worth a try, right?

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How Many of These 10 Maine New Year's Resolutions Will You Break?

Some are serious and some are for fun. But if you're going to make some resolutions, this is a good place to start.

Gallery Credit: Cindy Campbell

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