Seven Strategies for Highly Effective New Year's Resolutions


New Year’s Eve is just around the corner.  It’s likely that at least one person will ask you what your resolutions are for the year ahead. Whether you like to make them or not, research has found that people who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t explicitly make resolutions. Yet as you know, it’s not so easy to keep your resolve as life returns to normal and your old habits of mind and action start testing your resolve and pulling you away from the new ones you resolved to create.
Change is difficult, yet as hard as it is, everyone has the ability to make and keep meaningful changes in their life, regardless of their age, or how well worn their habitual ways of engaging in the world.


Indeed there’s a science to success when it comes to achieving goals and making life changes – whether on January 1st or any other time of year.   On the link below are 7 strategies to help you make the changes you want in the year ahead – including making the right resolutions to begin with. I hope you will read it, but more so, I hope you will apply them so that 2013 will truly be the best year of your life. Not because everything will go as you want, but because you be firmly at the helm of your own life – living by design rather than by default.
7 Strategies for Highly Effective New Year Resolutions. 
1.   Know Your Why.  For a resolution to stick, it has to be aligned with your core values. We all want to  look better or get richer, but your resolutions have to go beyond superficial desires and connect with what truly matters most to you. In other words, you have to “Know your why” and feel truly passionate about the goals you set for yourself. If you don’t, then when the going gets tough or your alarm goes off at 5:30am, you won’t have the resolve to stick to your plan.  Connect your resolutions to those things that give you a deeper sense of purpose and align with your core values. When your resolutions connect to a deeper sense of purpose, it compels you not to think small or play safe, but to dig deep and stay the course when the going gets tough – no matter how many hurdles.
2. Be Specific.   Resolutions to ‘eat better, get fitter, be happier, relax more or have better life balance’ are doomed for failure because they lack specificity. The more specific you are, the more likely you will be able to succeed.   Describe your goals and resolutions in ways that allow you to track your progress and measure your success. For instance, if you want to build a better relationship with your partner, schedule at least one date night per month, or, as I’ve done with my husband, one weekend away – sans  kids – per year. Likewise if you’re committed to a better health and exercise regime, schedule how many workouts you’ll fit into each week.
3. Don’t Just Think It, Ink it!  A Stanford University study found that when people wrote down their goal, it increased the probability of them achieving it by over 70%.   But don’t just write down the specific goal, write down how you will feel when you’ve accomplished it.  When you have finished penning your desires, jot down on sticky pads the words that inspire you most about your goal and put them around your home/office to remind you of why you are committed to doing what it takes to bring your goal into reality.
4. Design Your Environment.  Never underestimate the power of your environment to support or sabotage your success.  Design your environment so that it’s hard NOT to do what you resolved.  Create a progress chart, recruit a cheer squad among your family and friends, find someone to hold you accountable, hire a trainer, join a group, create a blog.  Likewise, if there are people or things in your life that pull you down or off track, address them directly and set whatever boundaries you know you will need up front.
5. Narrow Your Efforts.  Trying to do too many things at once can make you so unfocused that you just bounce around like Tigger on Red Bull, not quite sure which direction you are going. Set yourself up for success and start with JUST ONE MAJOR UNDERTAKING come January 1st.   Then break that goal down into small bite size steps.  Small steps, strong start!
6. Focus On The Process.  It’s easy to get caught up in an initial wave of enthusiasm, only to come crashing down when your initial efforts don’t produce immediate and amazing results. So focus on the process itself, and develop greater competence of the actual activity, habit or skill you want to acquire.  For instance, if you want to become more fit, focus on being able to jog a little bit further every time you go for a walk, rather than being able to run 5 miles within a week. PERSISTENCE ALWAYS PAYS OFF.
7.  Forgive Your Failures. Your setbacks and failures will not define your success in the year ahead or any year. HOW YOU RESPOND WILL. If you happen to mess up, lose your resolve, press the snooze button or revert to a familiar well-practiced behavior, don’t beat up on yourself. Okay, so you didn’t get to the gym like you’d planned.  How about 5 minutes of stretching?  When it comes to slipping up and tripping up, you are in good company. It happens to everyone. Just don’t let your mishaps, setbacks and failures mean more than they do.  Reflect on the lessons they hold, make adjustments accordingly, then tap your inner John Wayne and get back in the saddle. Life rewards those who work at it.
Source:Forbes

End of the World: Here’s the Only Gadget You’ll Need

What’s going to happen?
Either nothing, or something where a lot of people die but there are some survivors left to repopulate civilization, or our souls all collectively shift into the next level of consciousness. We’re rooting for nothing or the soul thing. The second thing is the most work, by far, if you happen to survive it.
Assuming nothing doesn’t happen – either the second or the third thing happens, that is – let’s move on.
Will the Internet work?
Probably not.
Will my cell phone work?
Probably not.
Will faxing work?
Probably, because nothing’s been able to kill the fax machine. It’s like the cockroach of the tech industry.
Will I need any gadgets?
The only gadget I’d take is the WikiReader, which bills itself as “the Internet without the Internet.” I reviewed it three years ago – I have no idea if it’s still in active development but it’s basically all of Wikipedia in a portable device with a low-power screen.
Take batteries, too. You’ll need AAA batteries. It’s supposed to last up to a year, so take two AAA batteries for every year you expect to be around (and maybe some extras just in case).
How am I supposed to get one of these before tomorrow?
I didn’t think about that. You could order it from Amazon, choose overnight shipping, and hope the FedEx person shows up before everything goes down.
You could also download all of Wikipedia yourself and copy it to a different portable device you have. Remember batteries!
Why Wikipedia?
People are going to need to know how to do stuff. You’ll be revered as a teacher, a scientist, a news anchor and an HGTV host all at the same time. Until the printing press, radio, TV and the Internet get re-invented, you’ll have plenty of downtime, too, so it’d be nice to have some reading materials while you’re waiting.
What if nothing happens and I’m stuck with this $17.89 device?
Consider that when time travel is perfected, this would be the perfect gadget to bring with you to just about any point in time. Make bets with people. Lots and lots of bets. Don’t forget batteries

14 Ways To Be Better At Your Job In 2013


With a new year approaching, many people have an “out with the old and in with the new” mentality—and work is usually a big part of that, says corporate veteran and author Andy Teach.
“No one has a perfect work life and there is always room for improvement,” says Teach, author of From Graduation to Corporation: The Practical Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder One Rung at a Time. “Most people aspire to be better at their jobs because it results in increased happiness and personal satisfaction.”
Why do people typically feel this way toward the end of the year?
Shawnice Meador, Director of Career Management MBA@UNC, says most employees have had their year-end performance review at this point, and they now have a “clearer view of their strengths, weaknesses and goals laid out for them by their employers.”
Others will take time off from work before the New Year begins, and they’ll have time to decompress and reflect on the past 12 months, she adds. “Since people spend a lot of time at work throughout the year, work tends to be a big part of the ‘new year, new me’ attitude.”
Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant, says, “When you read ‘Jan. 1’ on your calendar, it’s numerically and psychologically a fresh start. We spend most of our waking hours at work, so it’s natural that you’ll reflect on your work life and career from a broader perspective around New Year’s, and strive to be a better employee in the coming year.”
In Pictures: How To Be Better At Your Job In 2013
If you’re feeling that way—here’s are 14 things you can do to be better at your job in 2013:
Anticipate your department’s needs. “Being a reliable source for your department leader and seeing opportunities for your department to improve are great ways to be better at your job,” Meador says. “Take on tasks that your department leader may not need to oversee directly and present a finished product to him or her.” Seeing this initiative from you often helps them understand that you can handle tasks proactively and things will not be falling solely on their shoulders.
Get to know your boss better. Your boss controls your destiny so it’s in your best interest to get to know them better both personally and professionally, Teach says. “It doesn’t mean you need to be friends with them or hang out with them, but you do need to learn what makes them tick. The more you communicate with your boss, the better it is for you.” While you’re at it, get to know your boss’s boss as well, he suggests.
Assume success. “Your positive attitude can be seen in your facial expression, posture, tone and speed of your voice,” Taylor says. “Be confident in your work. You’re uniquely qualified to do exactly what you do.” Imagine that everything you contribute helps the bottom line, she says. “Even when things are dicey, you can challenge yourself in 2013 to use setbacks as opportunities.”
Study your industry. Your industry is constantly changing and you need to keep up with what’s happening now, Teach says. “Most industries have trade magazines or websites that have the latest news in that industry. It’s important to read these so that you are well informed and can discuss recent industry events and changes with your co-workers, supervisors, and management. Information is power.”
Always come to the table with a solution. Offering a solution or idea is only half of the equation and many managers feel that an idea without an action plan will only create more work for them, Meador says. “Share ideas with context and a clear path for implementation for the leader to evaluate.” The more you present any issues with recommended solutions and then implement those solutions in a timely and effective manner, the more the leadership team will rely on you and think about you for future projects and new responsibilities, she says.
In Pictures: How To Be Better At Your Job In 2013

Connecticut gun rampage: 28 dead, including 20 schoolchildren

A couple embrace each other near Sandy Hook Elementary School, were a gunman opened fire on school children and staff in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, 2012. REUTERS-Adrees Latif
A boy weeps as he is told what happened after being picked up at Reed Intermediate School following a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, December 14, 2012. REUTERS-Lucas Jackson
Parents pick-up their children after a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, December 14, 2012. REUTERS-Michelle McLoughlin






























 A couple embrace each other near Sandy Hook Elementary School, were a gunman opened fire on school children and staff in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, 2012.
Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

By Dan Burns and Chris Kaufman
NEWTOWN, Connecticut | Sat Dec 15, 2012 5:00am IST
(Reuters) - A heavily armed gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children from 5 to 10 years old, in a rampage at a Connecticut elementary school on Friday, one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history.
The gunman - who according to a media report carried four weapons and wore a bulletproof vest - was dead inside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, state police Lieutenant Paul Vance told a news conference.
Vance said authorities found 18 children and seven adults, including the gunman, dead at the school, and two children were pronounced dead later after being take to a hospital. Another adult was found dead at a related crime scene in Newtown, he said, bringing the toll to 28.
"Our hearts are broken today," President Barack Obama said in an emotional televised address to the nation.
"Evil visited this community today," Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy told reporters.
Two law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation confirmed to Reuters the shooter had been identified as Adam Lanza, 20. Adam's brother Ryan Lanza was "either in custody or being questioned" at this hour, one of the sources said.
The New York Times reported that the gunman walked into a classroom where his mother was a teacher, shot his mother and then 20 students, most in the same classroom, b e fore shooting five other adults and killing himself. One other person was shot at the school and survived, the Times said.
The holiday season tragedy was the second shooting rampage in the United States this week and the latest in a series of mass killings this year, and was certain to revive a debate about U.S. gun laws.
Chaos struck as children gathered in their classrooms for morning meetings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, a city of 27,000 in Fairfield County, about 80 miles (130 km) northeast of New York City.
Police swarmed the scene and locked down the school, rushing children to safety, some of them bloodied. Distraught parents converged, frantically searching for their daughters and sons. Neighbors and friends wandered in shock, looking for information.
"It's hard to believe that anything like this could happen in this town," said resident Peter Alpi, 70, as he fought back tears. "It's a very quiet town. Maybe it's too quiet."
Hours later, Obama, wiping away tears and pausing to collect his emotions, mourned the "beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old" who were killed. He ordered flags flown at half staff at U.S. public buildings.
"As a country, we have been through this too many times," Obama said, ticking off a list of recent shootings.
"We're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics," Obama said in apparent reference to the influence of the National Rifle Association over members of Congress.
Obama remains committed to trying to renew a ban on assault weapons, White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
BLOODIED CHILDREN LEAVE SCHOOL
Vance said the shootings took place in two rooms of Sandy Hook Elementary School, which teaches children from kindergarten through fourth grade, roughly aged 5 to 10.
Witnesses reported hearing dozens of shots; some said as many as 100 rounds.
"It was horrendous," said parent Brenda Lebinski, who rushed to the school where her daughter is in the third grade. "Everyone was in hysterics - parents, students. There were kids coming out of the school bloodied. I don't know if they were shot, but they were bloodied."
Lebinski said a mother who was at the school during the shooting told her a "masked man" entered the principal's office and may have shot the principal. Lebinski, who is friends with the mother who was at the school, said the principal was "severely injured."
Lebinski's daughter's teacher "immediately locked the door to the classroom and put all the kids in the corner of the room."
Melissa Murphy, who lives near the school, monitored events on a police scanner.
"I kept hearing them call for the mass casualty kit and scream, 'Send everybody! Send everybody!'" Murphy said. "It doesn't seem like it can be really happening. I feel like I'm in shock."
The toll exceed that of one of the most notorious U.S. school shootings, the 1999 rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, where two teenagers killed 13 students and staff before killing themselves.
A girl interviewed by NBC Connecticut described hearing seven loud "booms" while she was in gym class. Other children began crying and teachers moved the students to a nearby office, she said.
"A police officer came in and told us to run outside and so we did," the unidentified girl said on camera.
In Hoboken, New Jersey, police cordoned off a block in connection with the Connecticut shootings, but an officer told reporters there was no body inside, contrary to an earlier media report.
The United States has experienced a number of mass shooting rampages this year, most recently in Oregon, where a gunman opened fire at a shopping mall on Tuesday, killing two people and then himself.
The deadliest came in July at a midnight screening of a Batman film in Colorado that killed 12 people and wounded 58.
The Connecticut shootings appear certain to trigger renewed debate over U.S. gun laws. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, founder of the advocacy group Mayors Against Illegal Guns, said it was "almost impossible to believe that a mass shooting in a kindergarten class could happen.
"We need immediate action. We have heard all the rhetoric before. What we have not seen is leadership - not from the White House and not from Congress," Bloomberg said. "That must end today."
In 2007, 32 people were killed at Virginia Tech university in the deadliest act of criminal gun violence in U.S. history.
In another notorious school shooting outside the United States, a gunman opened fire in 1996 in an elementary school in Dunblane, Scotland, and killed 16 children and an adult before killing himself.
(Additional reporting by Hilary Russ, Edith Honan, Chris Francescani, Peter Rudegeair, Ellen Wulfhorst, David Gregorio and Erin Geiger Smith; Writing by Daniel Trotta and Jim Loney; Editing by Peter Cooney)

South Africa's Nelson Mandela 'looks well' in hospital

Mural of Nelson Mandela in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, on 9/12/12 Nelson Mandela is widely revered in South Africa, and news that he is in hospital has prompted much concern around the country
South African President Jacob Zuma has visited Nelson Mandela in hospital and says he "looks well after a restful night", Mr Zuma's spokesperson said.
The president has been reassured that Mr Mandela is in the hands of a competent medical team at the hospital in Pretoria, Mac Maharaj told the BBC.
The 94-year-old was admitted to hospital on Saturday to undergo tests.
South Africans have been waiting for word on Mr Mandela's condition amid messages of hope for a speedy recovery.
'Great person' Mr Mandela was taken from his home in the rural village of Qunu, in Eastern Cape province, to hospital in the capital on Saturday.

“Start Quote

Get well and continue to inspire us”
Congress of South African Trade Unions
Local media report that the decision to move him was taken so quickly, some family members and his own foundation were initially unaware it had happened.
Mr Zuma's office said on Saturday that Mr Mandela was doing well and that there was "no cause for alarm", but did not give details about the reasons for his admission.
Mr Mandela needs medical attention "from time to time which is consistent with his age," the statement added.
The authorities are keen to respect Mr Mandela's privacy and control any information about his health, the BBC's Andrew Harding in Johannesburg reports.

Nelson Mandela's health scares

  • Feb 2012: In hospital for minor procedure to treat abdominal pain
  • Jan 2011: In hospital for a few days with serious chest infection
  • 2001: Diagnosed with prostate cancer, of which he was cured
  • 1994: Underwent cataract surgery soon after becoming president
  • 1988: Diagnosed with early-stage tuberculosis while in prison
  • 1985: Surgery for an enlarged prostate gland
But there is enormous public concern here for the man widely revered as the father of democratic South Africa, he adds.
Prayers were held for the former leader at the Regina Mundi Catholic church in the Soweto area of Johannesburg, once the centre of protests and funerals during apartheid.
"Yes, it really worries us because he is a great person," churchgoer Shainet Mnkomo told Associated Press. "He did so many things to the country, he's one of those persons who we remember most."
The Congress of South African Trade Unions said it hoped the government's statement about his condition was true, and urged Mr Mandela to: "Get well and continue to inspire us".
Good spirits Mr Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.
File picture taken on June 17, 2010 shows former Nelson Mandela at the funeral of his great-granddaughter in Sandton, north of Johannesburg Nelson Mandela is rarely seen in public
He served as South Africa's first black president between 1994 and 1999, and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
That was after spending more than two decades in jail under the white minority apartheid regime.
Mr Mandela was last in hospital in February, when he underwent a minor procedure to investigate the causes of abdominal problem.
And in January 2011 he was treated for a serious chest infection.
Mr Mandela spends the majority of his time in Qunu, which is close to where he was born.
Our correspondent says he is known to be frail and his memory is fading, but visitors have repeatedly said he is in good spirits.
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