Making and Breaking Resolutions

If you are reading this soon after it is published, then it is that time of year again.  The time we try to keep New Year resolutions.

Did you make any resolutions this year?  How many?  And have you kept them all?  Have you kept any of them?

For many people, New Years Resolutions are simply a tradition.  A bit like hanging up stockings and waiting for Santa to fill them.  They don't really expect to keep them.

For many others, New Years Resolutions are an opportunity to do something they know they ought to do, or stop doing something they know they ought to stop, but have never really had the motivation.

Most of the above fail to keep their resolutions.  Why?

Well, if you are in that first category, notice the final sentence.  "They don't really expect to keep them."  Is it any wonder  you don't keep those resolutions?  If you start with an expectation of failure, this will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  If you don't really expect to keep a resolution you shouldn't make it.  Not only is it a waste of effort, but it is actually harmful.  Why harmful?  Because you are sending out a message to your subconscious mind that you are unable to achieve whatever you try to achieve.  Keep sending out this message and your subconscious will then apply it to everything else you try to do.  By paying lip-service to the tradition of making resolutions you will be weakening your ability to achieve anything, not simply those half-hearted resolutions.

As for the second category, notice "they have never really had the motivation".  Do you fit into that category?  Do you make resolutions in good faith, and with every intention of keeping them, but don't really have any motivation to do so?  If so, then you are very unlikely to succeed.  Without motivation you will probably fall at the first hurdle.  If not the first hurdle then the second.  And there will be quite a few hurdles to cross before you can finally say you have kept the resolution and will now always keep it.  You need strong motivation to cross all those hurdles.

Before even thinking of making a resolution, begin by asking yourself why you want to do this.

For example, if you want to stop smoking, why do you want to stop?  The glib answer to this is "because smoking is unhealthy".  That may be the reason, but it is not sufficient to give you the motivation you need.  What you should do is start listing all the positives and the negatives.  The positives are all the benefits you will gain if you stop smoking.  Try to think of as many as you can.  Identify the ones that really appeal.  The negatives are all the bad things that may happen if you don't stop smoking.  Again, try to think of as many as you can.  Do some research online if you cannot come up with a long list - you will find plenty of reasons out there.  And again, identify the ones that really horrify you.

At this point you have a list of really great things that should inspire you to keep your resolution, and another list of really bad things that can happen if you don't keep it.  Focus on those lists every day.  Especially focus on the positive list.  Really feel the change inside you and how good it makes you feel.

If you do this properly you will have the motivation you really need in the form of a bunch of carrots and a load of sticks!  With that motivation you are much more likely to succeed!

Of course, you don't have to do this simply at New Year.  This is a good exercise to try at any time of year.

Tackle your resolutions this way one by one.  Once you have turned a resolution into a habit which you are confident is there for good, then turn to the next one.  Don't try to do two or more at once, as you are then much more likely to fail.  Focus on just the one.  Don't pick one that you think you ought to do but cannot really get yourself properly motivated to do - when you create your "reasons why" lists you will soon see whether or not this is something for you to attempt.  And don't think of it as a pass or fail exercise.  You may slip back into your old habits from time to time.  Don't consider that a "fail", but just a reminder that it is important to keep on trying.

Use these techniques and you really can improve your life in ways that may not even seem possible right now!

New Year Resolution

Did you notice the title of this article is "New Year Resolution" rather than "New Year Resolutions"?  There is a very good reason for this.

The majority of people fail to keep their resolutions.  Many have broken most or all of them before the first week of the New Year has finished!  Why is this?  Why do New Year's Resolutions simply not work for most people?

The reason for this is that most people view New Year's Resolutions as something fleeting.  Something not really intended to last much beyond the holiday season.  They make a whole series of resolutions without any serious intention of getting them to work.

If you really want this year to be better for you than last year, don't fall into the trap of making a bunch of resolutions you are not highly motivated to keep.  If you fall into this trap it is most unlikely you will keep them.  You will feel guilty each time you break another resolution, and you will reinforce the idea that New Year's Resolutions simply do not work, making it even more difficult in future years to make and keep meaningful resolutions.

Instead of having a long list of resolutions you are doomed not to keep, why not just have one New Year Resolution?  Just commit to changing one thing in your life, one thing that will make a real difference.  It is so much easier to tackle one resolution at a time.  There is not really any need even to call it a resolution, especially as New Year's Day has already passed.  Instead, call it a goal.

You should find just renaming your New Year Resolution a goal will make a real difference.  Subconsciously you will be far more committed to achieving it.  Also those around you will probably have a very different attitude.  If you call it a resolution it is only human nature for people to wait to see how long it will be before you break it.  Not at all an encouraging attitude!  But if you call it a goal then you should find at least your real friends (and I include family in this description) will be only too pleased to help you achieve it.  I have heard it said that as a result you are 10 times more likely to succeed.

Sit down right now, or rather when you have finished reading this article, and decide what aspect of your life you would truly like to change.  Something you really want with all your heart's desire.  Choose well and you will be highly motivated to achieve it.

Write down your goal.  Writing it down makes it far more real.

If you really want to succeed, then advertise your new goal.  Post it on Facebook.  Tell your friends.  Now you are really committed.  The people around you will expect to see some results, so do not disappoint them!

Once you have made this commitment draw up a plan of attack.  Write a detailed plan, including mini goals with timescales to achieve them.  Or perhaps just enter the timescale for the first mini goal, with the others to be filled in as you achieve each mini goal.

Post updates in social media.  This will encourage you to keep going, and will also probably generate further encouragement from your followers.

Use any tools you may find helpful to keep you focused on achieving your goal.  If you subscribe to my newsletter you will see many such tools, and some of them will be the perfect fit for you.  You can subscribe to my newsletter here and at the same time get four free e-books which will also help you along the way to your goal:  www.beallican.com.

Once you reach your goal it is then time to pick the next one.  Don't worry if it is not yet New Year.  Hopefully you will achieve more than one goal in a year so don't wait until the next New Year celebrations before working on a new goal.  Within a few years you will find you have achieved far more, and are probably far happier, than would have been the case if you had stuck to the tradition of setting New Year's Resolutions.

Credit for image:  Jenny Rollo, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Setting Yourself Up for Success

If you are anything like the majority of people you either didn't set yourself any New Year's Resolutions, knowing you wouldn't keep them if you did, or you have already broken most or all the ones you did set.

It doesn't have to be this way!  It is perfectly possible to create Resolutions that you DO keep.  And you don't have to restrict yourself to doing so just on New Year's Day.

The first thing you must do when setting goals (for that is really what Resolutions are) is to prepare yourself for success in advance.  By following this advice you will actually enjoy the process of setting goals and achieving them.

One of the first things you should do when setting a new goal is to not make it an "all or nothing" goal.  Instead of having only the options of "success" or "failure" create your goal so that it is setting you up to succeed.  One way to do this is by creating smaller goals along the way.  As you reach each one you will feel good about it and be motivated to continue. And having reached that "mini goal" you can congratulate yourself that you HAVE kept a resolution!

Track your progress towards your goals. By tracking your progress you can celebrate your successes. You can also identify your weak areas and spend more time working on them.  To track your goals you can use something as simple as a basic spreadsheet and then record your progress. Some people prefer to track weekly while other prefer to use a daily tracking system. 

Set yourself a monthly, weekly or daily target that you can achieve. This could be something such as reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke or not having that beer after work each night.  As you meet each small goal you are again setting yourself up for continued success, rather than simply having a goal of "I will stop smoking" or "I will stop drinking". 

For goals that have numbers (often business related goals) set minimum numbers as targets as opposed to maximum numbers.  By all means have those higher targets as an aspiration, but be ready to congratulate yourself just for achieving the minimum.  Congratulate yourself and feel good about yourself - that will lead to even greater success.

Setting appropriate goals will help you set up for success. Don't set a goal for something that you already do on a regular basis. A new goal should be based around something that you are not good at (or at least haven't tried yet), or one that could be classified as a bad habit.

Always be ready to ask for help in achieving your goals. At work if you are not good at something see if there is help available. Or is it possible to get this task delegated to someone else? Look for options when it comes to setting goals, especially for those tasks that you really don't like doing. 

Plan out a method for reaching your goal before you even start working on it. The majority of people who just decide on a goal will fail without having a good plan of action in place first.  

Even if you are not sure of all the steps just start outlining your first one or two steps. As you begin your journey you may identify other steps that are required for you to be successful. Simply add these into your plan of action. 

One good way to create a plan of action is to look at your goal in reverse. Think about how you might have arrived there and write down the steps. It is often easier to think in reverse when it comes to goal planning! 

A great example of this is having a goal of owning your first home. The last thing you do is sign the deal and pay for the house. So consider how you raise the money for your home, how you choose your location and so on. As you create your list backwards you have just completed a plan of actionable steps. 

If you plan on creating new goals then recording your goals will help you with your next goal. You will have a plan in place that you can follow to a certain extent. More importantly though, your recording of your first plan will highlight any problem areas you had. You will be more aware of them this time around and will know how to deal with them.

Follow these steps and there is no reason at all why you should not be very successful this year!

If you would like even more help in setting and reaching your goals, try my program "Resolution Revolution", which you can access here:

"Resolution Revolution"

Using a Vision Board to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

Have you considered creating a vision board to help you with your New Year's resolutions this year? This can be a fantastic way to stay on track and actually make your resolution achievable. Plus you can use a vision board for any type of goal or dream that you want to achieve.

Not sure what a vision board is? It’s a collection of pictures and words pasted onto a board, either a physical board or a virtual one.  In my youth I thought of a vision board as a treasure map - with my goals being the treasure depicted on the map.

The images and pictures you use can be your own or can be ones that mean something to you in some way or other. For a modern day vision board you can use a site like Pinterest.

Pinterest allows you to set up boards on which you Pin images. For example if your resolution is to lose weight you can create a Weight Loss Board. Then Pin an image of how you look at the start of your weight loss journey along with pictures of things that hold meaning to you. This could be pictures of a smaller pair of jeans, or a super black dress or a bathing suit that you want to fit into.

If you prefer to do this at home then you can use a cork board set up in your home. Or you could just attach images to your fridge or bathroom mirror.

By far the best way though, in my opinion, is to combine images, words and sounds - especially music which reflects in some way the goals you want to reach.  Don't be put off by the apparent complexity of doing this, as it is a lot simpler than it sounds if you have the right tools.  There is a digital product which makes it as easy as falling off a log!  This is the "Digital Vision Board Creation Kit" by Mind Movies, the brainchild of my friend Natalie Ledwell.  You can get 6 completely free pre-made digital vision boards on attracting wealth, finding inner peace, having a great social life, becoming healthier, becoming more confident, and learning to love yourself.  Click on the image below to pick up your 6 free digital vision boards and to find out more about the Digital Vision Board Creation Kit you can use to create your own personalized digital vision boards.  When you get your 6 free pre-made Mind Movies, you'll also get instant access to this cool video series that tells you why and how Mind Movies work. The first video is with the legendary Law of Attraction Expert Bob Proctor and it's super interesting!

The problem with New Year's resolutions is that they can be difficult to keep. The sad fact that is by the end of January almost 90% of resolution have been forgotten about or broken. Don't let this happen to you this year.

When it comes to keeping your resolution you will be more successful if you set up a plan of action. As well as writing down what your goal or resolution is try using pictures so that you can visualize your goal.

To be truly successful with your resolution your best bet is to only select one resolution to work on at a time. Write your resolution out as a statement and attach a date to end.

For example "I lost 50 pounds by December 31."

As you can see we wrote this goal out as though you have completed it. This helps to reinforce your commitment to reaching your goal. It doesn't hurt to repeat this to yourself every morning or whenever you feel your motivation lacking.   That verbalization gives your subconscious cues about what you want to happen.

If your resolution is one that you have used before it is important to forgive yourself for not reaching it before. Don't think about what you did to fail last year. Instead focus on how you will succeed, and using a vision board is a great way to do this.

You want to fill your vision board with all your hopes and dreams for things that you desire once your resolution is completed. This could be a picture of a new car, a new home, or a new wardrobe of clothes for your skinny body.

On your vision board you can create milestone sections. These could be 2 or 3 month markers. With a digital vision board you could create one for, say, the next couple of months, then update it, archiving the old board so you can look back at earlier targets.  Evaluate your progress when these dates arrive and make any changes if necessary. If you aren't on track then look back on your vision board to see where you were 3 months ago. You will be reminded that you have made progress and this can help re-motivate you.

Concentrate on what you have achieved so far and celebrate your success. No matter how small a step you have taken it is important that you acknowledge it.

A reminder again about the free Digital Vision Boards you can get from my friend Natalie Ledwell.  Here is the link:

http://www.mindmovies.com/mm4/bobproctor.php?25923

New Year Resolutions or Goals

Do you enjoy making New Year Resolutions, or actually the question should be do you keep your resolutions?  Did you know that 9 out of 10 people fail to keep their resolutions?  In fact I started a MOOC course on 5th January which had as its opening sentence "It’s January. The holiday is over, and you have already broken your New Year’s resolutions."  So what is the reason for this?

One of the main reasons that New Year's resolutions fail is simply because you are not totally committed to them.  Many people make so many resolutions that it is simply impossible to know where to start.  So instead of taking action it is much easier to give up on all of them.

The best way to get around this issue is to find something that you truly want to achieve with all of your heart.  This might be to lose 50 pounds to save $1,000 or to take up a new hobby.

Another way to look at your New Year's resolution is by shifting your perspective of it.  Resolutions are viewed as wishes and dreams by many people, and this is another reason why people aren't successful with them.

Instead you want to turn your resolution into a life goal.  Goals are more often specific things and desires that you want to achieve.  When you tell people what your goal is they are more likely to be supportive.  When you say that you just made a New Year's Resolution they often assume that once February hits your resolution will have disappeared.

Be very specific with your resolution and make it based on one thing.  This way you will find it much easier to stay on track and achieve your goals.  If your goal is a large one that includes a lifestyle change then break it down.

Break down a large goal into monthly, weekly and even daily goals.  By attaining a smaller goal you are less likely to lose your focus and you will be able to see that you are making progress.

Let's look at an example here.  Say you want to lose 50 pounds by next Christmas and make this your New Year's resolution.  If you leave it at that and start working on losing weight in January things are great.  What happens, though, is that you don't lose weight fast enough, and by February you have only lost 5 pounds.  Your immediate reaction is to give up because at that rate you won't reach your goal by the end of December.

You are not alone if you think like this, many people do and giving up acts as an excuse for not continuing.  A better scenario would be this:

Break up the 50 pounds into a yearly goal by setting a weekly goal to lose 1 pound.  This is much more realistic and attainable.  The chances are that you will have weeks where you lose more than 1 pound and this can help spur you on.  Plus it offers you a safety guard for those weeks when you don't lose any weight.

You must always remember that it is okay to get off track a little and not meet your goal.  For instance you may not lose weight but you may be exercising more and feeling great.  Think about how one balances out the other.  You are feeling great and this is a positive.  While not losing pounds is not what you want, you are still working on improving your lifestyle, which is a different plus!

This year try defining your resolutions as goals instead.  If you have made your resolutions, re-define them now.  Do this even if you have already failed to keep them.  If, like many, you didn’t even bother to set yourself any resolutions because you knew you wouldn’t keep them, set them now, but as goals.  Don’t worry about the fact that you didn’t set them for 1st January, as they are now goals, not resolutions.  Give yourself a time when you want to achieve them and tell your family and friends what your goals are.  You may find that they are more supportive than you expected.

Finally, if you would like some help from me in keeping your resolutions, simply send a blank e-mail to resolution@getresponse.net.  When you do this you will get an e-mail back asking you to confirm you wish to subscribe to my e-mail list.  If you confirm your subscription you will then receive 52 weekly supportive e-mails which will help keep you on track.  This is a free service, so why not take advantage of it!

Celebrating the New Year

How do you celebrate New Year?  Do you have any particular rituals you follow, and do they have any real meaning for you?

There are many different rituals around the world, but there are some common themes underlying most of them.  Here are just a few examples:

In Panama, people burn effigies of well-known personalities.  The effigy represents the old year, and burning it drives away the evil of the old year, making way for the good of the New Year.

The concept of throwing away the old to make way for the new is taken one step further in Johannesburg, South Africa, where people throw old furniture and appliances out of their windows on New Year’s Eve.  If you are planning to spend New Year in Johannesburg, watch your head!

In Japan, workers have what they call a “bonenkai” party some time near the end of the year.  Literally, this means “forget the year party”.  The idea is to draw a line under what has happened during the year so you can start the New Year afresh.

In Denmark, people stand on a chair during the countdown to the New Year and leap from the chair as the clock strikes 12.

A rather different custom is the communal New Year kiss in St Mark’s Square, Venice.  What could be better than starting the New Year with love and friendship?

Finally, while most of the above is about forgetting and letting go of the old in order to start the new, “Auld Lang Syne” is all about remembering people with fondness.  “Auld Lang Syne” is an old Ayrshire folksong.  It was transcribed, but not originally written as many believe, by Rabbie Burns.  The custom of singing “Auld Lang Syne” at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve was instituted by the Canadian bandleader Guy Lombardo.

Here are the words of the first verse and chorus of “Auld Lang Syne” (literal meaning “Old Long Since”):

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne.

We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

The theme throughout most those rituals and customs is that we should clear away the clutter of the old year, all the things holding us back, and start the New Year afresh.  At the same time, we should remember those who have helped us on our way.

We don’t need a ritual to do this though.  Nor do we have to do it only on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.  I think it should be a daily practice.  At the end of each day, reflect on what has happened.  Forgive anyone who has wronged you, and forgive yourself of all the wrong you have done, releasing all the bad which will otherwise hold you back.  Think of all the good that has happened and be thankful for it, and especially for all the people who have been good to you.  Now you can sleep easy and be ready to start the new day afresh.  Make this a daily habit, remembering and being thankful for the good and washing away the bad, and you will find it so much easier to make a fresh start and achieve whatever it is you want to achieve.

If you would like help with setting your Resolutions and goals for the New Year, or for any time, take a look at my “ResolutionRevolution” - http://beallican.com/gpdm/resolutionrevolution/info.htm.

Will This Year Belong to You?

Are you one of those people who follow through on their actions or do you find that your good intentions fall to the wayside quickly? Regardless of which type of person you may classify yourself as, why not make this year the year which belongs to you?

While this may sound like a huge challenge, by breaking it down into smaller steps the picture becomes much clearer. When it comes to setting goals many people often make lofty goals, those that are almost unattainable or out of reach. It’s no wonder that these ambitions and goals are given up almost as fast as they were set.

So how do you set easy to reach goals that will lead you on the path of your dreams?

One of the first things that you need to accomplish is to think about what your goals are. Now I don't mean travelling the world living out of fancy hotels. I mean goals that are going to help you lead the life you have always dreamed of. If your goal was to travel the world what would be the steps you need to take to accomplish this?

By breaking down a main goal into smaller segments you are working towards your end goal. Building on the travel goal, what would you need to make this come true? Lots of money for one thing. How would you get this money? This would become a smaller goal.  Once you had the money how would you travel, where would you go and how long would you stay in each place. All of these steps are smaller goals that need to be determined.

Do you see how these smaller steps are building up to the main goal? Perfect!  This is exactly how you can make this year belong to you!

First define what your end goal is. Then plan out all of the steps you need to take to get there. This might include earning more money, saving money regularly, learning a new skill or it might involve losing weight and getting fit.

Regardless of your end goal, once you have planned out your steps you want to treat each one as a mini goal. Then take each mini goal and work on it until you have reached it. Then take the next one and build upon that. Repeat this process until you can see your end goal in sight.

Along the way you are going to come face to face with stumbling blocks and of course, life will get in the way. All of these things are perfectly normal.  What matters is the manner in which you deal with these road blocks.

For people losing weight it can be difficult when you reach a plateau for weeks and weeks. It is easier to give up and revert back to your old habits.  Such a plateau is very common in virtually every endeavour, not just losing weight. Those people who are really determined and motivated to reach their target goal will look for ways to deal with these plateaus. These people are fighters!

When working towards a goal you do not always have to work hard on it every day. Sometimes it is healthy to take a short break, just don't let this become a vacation though!

You may find it easier to schedule certain days of the week to work on your goal so that you don't become over focused or obsessed on it. Working on a new goal means finding ways to fit it into your life without placing something or someone else in jeopardy.

With this in mind you now have the tools and a plan of attack to make this year belong to you in any way you see fit. 

If you would like more help to do this, take a look at my "Resolution Revolution".  You can get further details here:

http://beallican.com/gpdm/resolutionrevolution/info.htm

Do Resolutions Really Work?

Making New Year's Resolutions seems to be the 'in' thing to do each year, but do they really work? The answer to this would depend upon how serious you are when you make your New Year's resolution.

Do you view a New Year's Resolution as something fleeting? You just make a bunch of half hearted resolutions without any real intention of trying to get them to work. Or are you in the minority where you take your resolutions extremely seriously? If so then you are one of the few that has the best chances of succeeding with your resolutions.

This year why not really commit to changing just one thing in your life? It will be so much easier to tackle just one resolution at a time. In fact, it will be even easier if you see your New Year's Resolution as a goal.

The majority of people view goals as a more serious item, whereas a New Year's resolution is often thought of as just something that by the end of January you don't bother with anymore.

It is just a strange quirk of human nature that goals are taken more seriously. Plus you are more likely to tell your family and friends about your goals. Vocalizing your goal solidifies it into your mind so that it becomes a daily focus. The end result is that you are 10 times more likely to succeed!

Now is the time to sit down and decide which aspect of your life you want to truly change. Make it something that you really want with all your heart's desire, otherwise your motivation will not last.

Once you have decided on your goal your next step is to write it down. This way your goal becomes real, you can also post your intentions on your Facebook page, your blog or even let your list subscribers know. Once you have taken the plunge to go this far, people are going to expect to see results, and you don't want to disappoint them do you?

Now that you have made a commitment it is time to start working on your goal. The best way to do this is to create a plan of attack. This can be as simple as writing down the steps you need to follow to reach your goal. Or you may prefer to write detailed steps and set mini goals that you have to reach.

This will be a personal preference and if your motivation is high you may not feel as though you need a step by step plan to follow. Just remember to make yourself accountable so that you stay on track.

It can be helpful to post weekly updates on your social pages, or let your subscribers know each week how you are progressing. Whatever you do you don't want to lose sight of your goal. Otherwise it may start to get pushed to the back of your mind and become a forgotten goal.

So even if your friends and co-workers have written up a huge list of New Year's Resolutions, be firm and just choose one this year.  Maybe one from the original list you wrote yourself, or perhaps a completely fresh one. It doesn't matter which you do as long as this is a resolution you really want to keep. Then stand back and watch and see how many of your friends actually follow through and who is still working on their resolutions come February.

Have some type of plan to follow or use certain tools, if necessary, to help you achieve the success that you want and that you deserve. In the end you are going to be responsible for your own actions and no-one else.

If you would like a good tool to help you do this, then try my "Resolution Revolution" e-book and workbook. You can find full details here:

http://beallican.com/gpdm/resolutionrevolution/info.htm

New Years Resolutions History

by

Gary Ryan Blair

The tradition of the New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to 153 B.C. Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar.

With two faces, Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year.

The New Year has not always begun on January 1, and it doesn't begin on that date everywhere today. It begins on that date only for cultures that use a 365-day solar calendar. January 1 became the beginning of the New Year in 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar developed a calendar that would more accurately reflect the seasons than previous calendars had.

The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances. He was always depicted with two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the back. Thus he could look backward and forward at the same time. At midnight on December 31, the Romans imagined Janus looking back at the old year and forward to the new.

The Romans began a tradition of exchanging gifts on New Year's Eve by giving one another branches from sacred trees for good fortune. Later, nuts or coins imprinted with the god Janus became more common New Year's gifts.

In the Middle Ages, Christians changed New Year's Day to December 25, the birth of Jesus. Then they changed it to March 25, a holiday called the Annunciation. In the sixteenth century, Pope Gregory XIII revised the Julian calendar, and the celebration of the New Year was returned to January 1.

The Julian and Gregorian calendars are solar calendars. Some cultures have lunar calendars, however. A year in a lunar calendar is less than 365 days because the months are based on the phases of the moon. The Chinese use a lunar calendar. Their new year begins at the time of the first full moon (over the Far East) after the sun enters Aquarius- sometime between January 19 and February 21.

Although the date for New Year's Day is not the same in every culture, it is always a time for celebration and for customs to ensure good luck in the coming year.

Ancient New Years

The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, Babylonians celebrated the beginning of a new year on what is now March 23, although they themselves had no written calendar.

Late March actually is a logical choice for the beginning of a new year. It is the time of year that spring begins and new crops are planted. January 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary.

The Babylonian New Year celebration lasted for eleven days. Each day had its own particular mode of celebration, but it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities pale in comparison.

The Romans continued to observe the New Year on March 25, but their calendar was continually tampered with by various emperors so that the calendar soon became out of synchronization with the sun.

In order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the New Year. But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, established what has come to be known as the Julian Calendar. It again established January 1 as the New Year. But in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, Caesar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days.

Global Good Luck Traditions

With New Year's upon us, here's a look at some of the good luck rituals from around the world. They are believed to bring good fortune and prosperity in the coming year.

AUSTRIA - The suckling pig is the symbol for good luck for the new year. It's served on a table decorated with tiny edible pigs. Dessert often consists of green peppermint ice cream in the shape of a four-leaf clover.

ENGLAND - The British place their fortunes for the coming year in the hands of their first guest. They believe the first visitor of each year should be male and bearing gifts. Traditional gifts are coal for the fire, a loaf for the table and a drink for the master. For good luck, the guest should enter through the front door and leave through the back. Guests who are empty-handed or unwanted are not allowed to enter first.

WALES - At the first toll of midnight, the back door is opened and then shut to release the old year and lock out all of its bad luck. Then at the twelfth stroke of the clock, the front door is opened and the New Year is welcomed with all of its luck.

HAITI - In Haiti, New Year's Day is a sign of the year to come. Haitians wear new clothing and exchange gifts in the hope that it will bode well for the new year.

SICILY - An old Sicilian tradition says good luck will come to those who eat lasagna on New Year's Day, but woe if you dine on macaroni, for any other noodle will bring bad luck.

SPAIN - In Spain, when the clock strikes midnight, the Spanish eat 12 grapes, one with every toll, to bring good luck for the 12 months ahead.

PERU - The Peruvian New Year's custom is a spin on the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes at the turn of the year. But in Peru, a 13th grape must be eaten to assure good luck.

GREECE - A special New Year's bread is baked with a coin buried in the dough. The first slice is for the Christ child, the second for the father of the household and the third slice is for the house. If the third slice holds the coin, spring will come early that year.

JAPAN - The Japanese decorate their homes in tribute to lucky gods. One tradition, kadomatsu, consists of a pine branch symbolizing longevity, a bamboo stalk symbolizing prosperity, and a plum blossom showing nobility.

CHINA - For the Chinese New Year, every front door is adorned with a fresh coat of red paint, red being a symbol of good luck and happiness. Although the whole family prepares a feast for the New Year, all knives are put away for 24 hours to keep anyone from cutting themselves, which is thought to cut the family's good luck for the next year.

UNITED STATES - The kiss shared at the stroke of midnight in the United States is derived from masked balls that have been common throughout history. As tradition has it, the masks symbolize evil spirits from the old year and the kiss is the purification into the new year.

NORWAY - Norwegians make rice pudding at New Year's and hide one whole almond within. Guaranteed wealth goes to the person whose serving holds the lucky almond.

Chinese New Year

Except for a very few number of people who can keep track of when the Chinese New Year should be, the majority of the Chinese today have to rely on a typical Chinese calendar to tell it. Therefore, you cannot talk of the Chinese New Year without mentioning the Chinese calendar at first.

A Chinese calendar consists of both the Gregorian and lunar-solar systems, with the latter dividing a year into twelve month, each of which is in turn equally divided into thirty- nine and a half days. The well-coordinated dual system calendar reflects the Chinese ingenuity.

There is also a system that marks the years in a twelve-year cycle, naming each of them after an animal such as Rat, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar. People born in a particular year are believed to share some of the personalities of that particular animal.

About the Author:

Gary Ryan Blair is known throughout the world as The Goals Guy. He helps business owners, corporate executives and sales professionals manage their time, set their priorities, and stay focused so they can achieve their goals, grow their business, and be more successful.

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Top Ten New Year Resolutions

As a personal development researcher I am always interested to know what it is people most want to achieve.  At this time of year many people crystallize their hopes and dreams in New Year Resolutions.  I was therefore fascinated to see the list, published by the University of Scranton last month in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, of the top ten resolutions people made last year:

1    Lose Weight

2    Get Organized

3    Spend Less, Save More

4    Enjoy Life to the Fullest

5    Staying Fit and Healthy

6    Learn Something Exciting

7    Quit Smoking

8    Help Others in Their Dreams

9    Fall in Love

10   Spend More Time with Family


I imagine most of my readers can identify with at least one of these resolutions, if not more.  Even if you have not made any of them specific New Year Resolutions you would probably be happy setting several as  personal goals if you believed you could achieve them.

When you look carefully at this list it is quite obvious that several of these hopes and dreams belong together.  For example losing weight and quitting smoking are both very good goals for someone who wants to be fitter and healthier.

I think the list could be narrowed down to improvements in the following five areas, all of which are aspects of the field of personal development and success:

1  Finance

2  Health

3  Personal Relationships

4  Time Management

5  Dreams and Ambitions

Some of these areas are covered in the four free e-books I provide to all subscribers to my mailing list.  If you have not yet joined my list and received your free books please do so right now so you can move further forward in achieving your own goals.  You can do this simply by entering your name and e-mail address in the box just above on the right of this page.

I want to work with my readers to help them achieve improvements in all these five important areas.  Over the next few months I will cover different aspects of each of them, both in my blog here and also in the additional ideas I provide in e-mails to my subscribers.  Not all these ideas will be relevant to everyone, but you can be certain there will be some that are perfect for you and will help you achieve the personal goals you have set yourself.  Keep your eye on your mailbox for the idea that is perfect for you.