Make it Happen This Year!

The New Year has been given a bad rap because of the terrible success rate of New Year’s resolutions. The data is there to prove it: Quirkology.com tracked over 3000 people attempting to achieve New Year’s resolutions and only 12% actually achieved their goal.

Before you give up – read on…

With my clients, I always stress the importance of breaking goals into smaller more achievable tasks. It is truly the only way to achieve what can sometimes seem impossible. In fact, there is scientific research that links neurological evidence to support this theory.

The neurotransmitter Dopamine is linked with motivation. Our brain rewards us with a rush of Dopamine when we achieve our goals. Therefore, if you achieve smaller goals more often, your brain will reward you on a regular basis, making it easier to make the long trek toward larger goals. For instance, if you’re planning on running a marathon, but your  regular workout routine in 2009 involved a remote control and a bowl of popcorn, it would be smart to break this goal into smaller parts for 2010.

If your New Year’s resolutions are truly going to stick, then you have the rest of your life to make them work. Get yourself a 2010 calendar and mark out smaller goals throughout the year. For an example of a success story, read this article.

Happy New Year and enjoy your Dopamine!

Send Mother’s Day cards today!

In the age of text messaging and email, nothing could be more touching than a Mother’s Day card sent through the regular-old mail. That is… if you can find an envelope and stamp.

I hardly ever use the US postal service anymore. I’ve signed up for automatic withdrawal for all my bills – and send emails to my loved ones. I only reserve the postal mail for very special occasions – Mother’s Day being one of them.

But the problem with the “real” mail is that it doesn’t leave room for procrastination. The mail can take 3-5 days in the US, depending on when you send it and where your destination is. So, to make sure it arrives to your Mother before Sunday May 10th, you should really send the card today… Wednesday at the very, very latest.

Next year, mark Mother’s Day on your calendar 5 days before – so you don’t wind up sending a last-minute ecard.

Party Politics

My birthday is coming up. It’s a month away… and I know from experience, that it’s not too early to send out the invitation. My experience planning my birthday party every year. has taught me a couple of things. Hindsight is 20/20, right? So I’ve a compiled a list of  5 party planning dos-and-don’ts… so you can learn from my mistakes.

1. Start the year right… even if you’re hung over. Last year, I learned an important lesson about this: drink in moderation – and if people are buying you drinks – start pouring them in the potted plan after 2 or 3. Don’t spend the first day of the new year in dark sunglasses and an Advil-induced daze. Your birthday is your own personal New Year’s Day. It’s much more of a milestone than the calendar year because it’s more personal and meaningful to the timeline of your life. Spend the night drinking a glass of water to everyone else’s glass of Chardonnay – and wake up early feeling younger the next day.

2. Don’t “should” all over yourself. It’s easier said than done, I know – especially on the big # – 0 birthdays. But here’s a tip: throw the party you want to have, not the one you think you should have. Make sure your favorite people are invited – instead of trying to prove to yourself how popular you are. Don’t feel obligated to invite people that make you uncomfortable, just to fill chairs. If you only have one or two friends, plan an intimate gathering at your favorite restaurant – you’ll feel much better about your life, if you’re sharing it with people who truly care about you.

3. Be human resourceful. Plan a party a month in advance, especially in the summer and around holidays – because people’s calendars fill up fast. Design an Evite that’s eye-catching and fun. But don’t expect people to sign up right away – many people will see the email, and not even click on the link to the invitation. Send out weekly reminders with pertinent information – what to bring, directions, add photos of last year’s party. Also, call friends who haven’t responded and make sure you have the right email address for them – the more personal attention people get, the more likely they are to respond to the sometimes-impersonal invitation.

4. Think smaller. Everything takes longer than you think it will – so plan time for every little detail. If you’re decorating your house with streamers, recruit a friend who’s an interior decorator or party planner. Not everything is as easy as it looks in magazine articles – don’t bight off more than you can chew.  If you’re going to bake your own cake, light your backyard with candles, or create a custom ipod party mix – make sure to build in enough time or ask experts to help you. Never take on huge projects on the day of the party! You should spend the day relaxing and pampering yourself. Avoid being a birthday-zilla and try to plan everything at least a week in advance.

5. Live slow, die old. Enjoy yourself. Don’t stress. Take a deep breath. Promise yourself that each year will be better than the last. Spend sometime sitting in the sun with your eyes closed daydreaming about your life in the next 50 years. Where will you travel? Who will you meet? What kind of crazy old person do you want to be as you age? It’s inevitable – so we might as well start planning now.