Top 10 New Year's Resolutions for 2009

by Terri Potratz | December 30, 2008 at 05:18 pm

6089 views | 9 Recommendations | 8 comments

T'is the season for New Year's Resolutions, and year after year the same popular goals pop up on our to-do lists.

What are the 10 most popular resolutions for 2009? Here they are - you can put them in your own personal order:

Make more time for family and friends
Quit smoking
Start exercising
Go back to school / take a class
Get out of debt
Advance in your career, make more money
Get into philanthropy and community involvement
Quit drinking
Lose weight
Get out of a bad relationship / find true love

Or maybe, like Britney Spears, you strive for simpler goals - like quitting that fingernail biting habit:

According to online music service Contact Music Spears hopes 2009 will be the year that she breaks her awful habit: “Next year I have to learn to stop biting my nails! I would love to stop worrying so much, because I dwell on things the whole time. I want to learn how to be happier in general and to not take things so seriously.”

You had better have a very clear road map of how you plan to achieve your New Year's Resolutions, as the rate of success increases when you have small measurable goals:

Recent research shows that while 52% of participants in a Resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, a system where small measurable goals are used (lose a pound a week, instead of saying "lose weight"), while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.

What are your New Year's Resolutions for 2009? Leave your comment below, and check out our NowPublic poll to see what's most popular.

1 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

maintrainonline

at 13:06 on December 31st, 2008

My New Year's Resolutions every year are

1) Lose Weight.

2) Grow my hair long.

This year I have accomplished both feats.

I lost 80 lbs. and my hair is now to my waist.

I don't know WHAT I'll persue in 2009.

Possibly I can have greater fame, a huge fortune, and excellent health,

They always tease me... "This is your year."

Maybe 2009 will be MINE.

sandeepmv

at 15:43 on December 31st, 2008

well we have been hearing a lot about no smoking in public areas

I will consider smoking in India should be as good as drinking alcohol in India

If government gets the rule similar to that of Drinking where smoking pubs and places are made we can reduce the number of people smoking

For instance

Smoking is banned in MNC's Government offices entertainment places hotels etc..

lets question ourself if this rule is fallowed religiously

Answer is no

People do smoke on Road and in parks

are these not public areas and also these tobaccos are available where ever required this gives access to kids teenagers
and thus increase in number of people smoke

my advice or Idea for Government is to bring strict laws to get rid of this Smoking

its killing everyone

About this photograph

this was captured in a government hospital where one of the ward boy was smoking in the hospital near to emergency ward
and was hiding the same from the doctors

is this not a crime

Think people think

its our world

its high time we save it

Regards

Sandeep MV

sandeepmv has contributed a photo to this story.

katherine lynn

at 16:18 on December 31st, 2008

I can't understand the appeal of smoking. Especially when it's this cold outside!

katherine lynn has contributed a photo to this story.

PattissonFamily

at 16:11 on January 1st, 2009

Weight watching? Don't become obsessed but don't let yourself become obese either!

PattissonFamily has contributed a photo to this story.

danesller0127

at 02:04 on January 2nd, 2009

Like the others...My New Years2009 resolution is to abandoned watefull habits... and start caring for the environment,'Mother Nature' as the global temperature rises and treatens the whole planet, including the Philippines. :D

khutso (not verified)

at 05:29 on January 5th, 2009

My New Year's Resolutions for 2009 are:

1. Have my own place to stay.

2. Stop changing man likes socks.

billea (not verified)

at 05:15 on January 8th, 2009

Still trying to grok this resolution from khutso...Stop changing man likes socks

Here's my list though...mostly about saving money.

Money Saving Resolutions for 2009

Harry Vancouver (not verified)

at 09:19 on June 2nd, 2009

Thanks this is a great list.

You may want to check out http://www.GoalsOnTrack.com, a very nicely built web app designed for tracking goals and todo lists, and has time tracking. It's clear, focused, easy to navigate, worth a try.