Start 2011 with a S.M.A.R.T. goal

This article is written by April Perry from Mormon Times Section of the Deseret News.

"January is a natural time for goal-setting, but how are we going to make sure our "good intentions" from 2010 actually happen in 2011? 

It drives me nuts to set the same goal over and over again, but I've finally learned the secret: S.M.A.R.T. goals. You probably have about three minutes to focus before someone calls you on to your next activity, so I'll keep this short. (If you want more great ideas, you can find them in the book "This Year I Will..." by M.J. Ryan.)

S = Specific. Pick a goal that is something you can "pin down." Don't just say, "Be a better mom" or "Take more time for myself." Maybe choose a goal like "Learn to play three songs on the guitar," or "Only yell at my children once every three days." Sound simple enough?

M = Measurable. You've got to have a way to measure your progress, or you will never feel like you've accomplished anything. If you chose a goal like "Run for 30 minutes three times a week," well, that's certainly measurable, but there are other goals that you can also measure by creating a scale from 1-10. 

For example, one of my goals is to stress less about the imperfect cleanliness of my house. I'm going to measure my success with this goal by rating my stress over my house on a scale of 1-10 each week. Right now I'm at about an 8 (10 being highest). My goal is to get down to a 2 or 3 – not that I won't still try to have my family help keep the house clean, but I won't let it stress me out. I will be calm, cool and peaceful to live with.

A = Achievable. This means be realistic, ladies. Don't set yourself up for failure.  Choose a goal that you know you have control over and you can actually achieve. Maybe you can't volunteer at a soup kitchen every week, but you could hold one small fundraiser for a worthy cause.

R = Relevant. Make sure this is the right kind of goal for you to be setting. Is this really important to you? Getting a lead role in a Broadway musical might not be relevant right now if you have three preschoolers, you live in Phoenix and you've never taken voice lessons. 

T = Time-bound. Give yourself a deadline — at least a point in time in which this goal will be "done." You can reassess and start over, but you need to have some idea of how long you will be working specifically on this goal. "I will get to bed before 10 every night for a week, and, at that point, I will evaluate my progress and make a new S.M.A.R.T. goal." 

Once you get started and actually see your progress, you'll be hooked. Be sure to write your goal down, and put it somewhere you'll see it. Good luck becoming a better person in 2011!"

Five New Year's Resolutions you can actually keep

This article written by Jason F. Wright : Wright Words, from Mormon Times section of the Deseret News.

..."I remember years ago a college buddy told me that once and for all he was going to give up Dr. Pepper on New Year's Day. He told me how proud he felt to walk into his closet, uncover his secret stash and pour it down the drain in his master bathroom. "I'll never drink another caffeinated soda," he told his wife. "This is the year."

Then on Jan. 4 he called me from his cell phone. He wanted me to know he hadn't just fallen off the wagon, it had backed up and run him over. I tried not to laugh as he described pulling open the heavy glass door of his favorite 7-Eleven, yanking up his hoodie, filling a Big Gulp with the "forbidden juice" and tossing the exact amount on the counter in stride as he rolled out before anyone could spot him. He drank it in his car, parked in the far corner of the employee lot at his office building and hid the collapsed evidence under his seat for disposal on the way home from work.

I found it funny then — and now — because I relate so well. Hard and fast resolutions are wonderful when we keep them. But when we don't, which happens much more often than not, we only remind ourselves we're not as perfect as we'd like to be.

In 2011, why don't we set five resolutions we can actually keep?

1. Ignore the mirror: Let's be honest, most of us aren't super models. But the truth is you're much better looking than you think are. In fact, you're actually quite beautiful. You're not as plump as you imagine, and your nose and teeth are just fine. You're divine, and those who love you agree.

2. Walk more: Don't commit to walking 40 miles a week or even an hour a day. Just commit to walking more than you did last year. Park at the back of the lot every time you're at IKEA, Wal-Mart or your local mall. Before you know it, you will have walked a marathon.

3. Eat better: Can you still eat fast food? Sure you can. Just make a conscious effort to skip it now and then. Next time you have a hankering for a hamburger, grab a salad instead. Next time you're jonesing for a soda, grab an ice-cold bottle of water from the convenience store.

4. Pray more: I had a friend tell me his key to success was kneeling in quiet prayer no fewer than six times a day. Six times? I'm delighted when I get two on my knees, one at my desk, one in my car and one on a golf course. If you feel distance between you and your Father in Heaven, step closer through prayer, but don't keep a pie chart. Just pray more than you did last year; the results will astound you.

5. Be more charitable: Are you slow to say thank you? To open doors? To forgive? Make charity a verb by seeking out small moments every single day to lift someone. Will you still get grumpy? Still have bad days? Still find yourself occasionally annoyed at people around you? Sure, but not as much as you did last year, guaranteed.

Perhaps more than anything in the year ahead, let's remember that New Year's resolutions aren't about being perfect; they are about being better.

They are not meant to transform us into someone else; they should simply mold us into a better version of ourselves.

That's the key to happiness 2011."