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The Best Advice to Take You into 2012

newyearsign--canstockphoto6801461At the end of each year we are always given loads of advice to help us reform, update and upgrade our lives in the new year. This season is no exception. Here is some of the best advice for improving your personal and business life.

Let’s start with what you shouldn’t do

from Harvard Business Review’s article, Five Things You Should Stop Doing in 2012 . This article boils down to stop checking email constantly like one of Pavlov’s dog, avoid mindless traditions by doing something different, detox  from reading things that annoy you, avoid work that’s not worth it, and test ideas before you commit.

Losing weight is the most common New Year’s resolution,

but with its history of failure it’s far better to think of a healthy lifestyle. Check out this article with sound advice.

4 Healthy New Year’s Resolutions | Zing Blog by Quicken Loans

Many people are under false impressions that playing sports and taking time out of your schedule to exercise will interfere with the goals you set out to achieve. Thus, I have compiled a list of four healthy New Year’s

Maybe you will want to skip the usual resolutions and go for just one simple one

Mariela Dabbah: My New Year’s Resolution

I don’t want to go on living as if every year of my life were a disposable container. That’s why my New Year’s resolution has nothing to do with your usual suspects.

Maybe you could use some iPhone apps to help you with your resolutions.

Set your New Year’s resolutions with these iPhone apps – iPhone

For a systematic approach to meeting your New Year’s resolutions, plan it out with the Big Change app for iPhone ($2.99). Whether you want to exercise more, drink less or save money, the Big Change app has a setting for

Or maybe you should just go for a New You evolution instead of resolution

Check out what business and life coach, Shirene Urton, had to say about this in a recent interview  Make a New You Evolution Not Resolution–Shirene Urton

Now tell us , do you set resolutions, and what are your favorites?


Holiday Memories are Worth Your Time and Energy

Baking holiday cookies 1983

Baking holiday cookies 1983

When my four children were young, I sometimes felt like a short order cook, especially as they grew up and began to have food preferences. Likewise, as their personalities and talents differentiated them, it was a challenge to keep daily activities on schedule, much less add the extra things that came with the holidays, but we did.

As my colleague, Gladys Anderson, of www.coachforyourdreams.com and I were preparing tips for reducing holiday stress, I thought back to some of the activities I enjoyed with my kids.

The catch with the holidays is that a new batch of tasks get added to your regular routine, with the potential of heightening anxiety and deepening stress.

In addition to regular homework, violin lessons, ballet and church, for example, now we had holiday programs, recitals and special services. Add to that the more than usual shopping for food and gifts, and preparation for holiday festivities, and it’s enough to make any sane person want to sit the holidays out.

But I’m very glad I didn’t. The time and energy was well worth it:

  • the annual making of the gingerbread house
  • baking decorative cookies and sharing with our neighbors,
  • making some handmade gifts
  • singing carols around the piano with my mom skillfully accompanying us
  • outings to see special events such as The Nutcracker Ballet.
  • Don’t get me wrong. We had our share of scrapes, disagreements and disappointments. But the warm holiday memories help sustain us through those times.

    What holiday memories stand out in your mind?

    Be sure to grab our free audio program, “30 Tips in 30 Minutes for Making Your Holidays Stress-Free, Budget-Friendly, and Loaded with Remarkable Memories.”