How to Create a New Year's Statement that will help you reach your goals

Many years ago when I was living in New Zealand one of my friends, Terri, and I decided that we would create a New Years Statement.

The idea was to escape from the short term pressure of a New Year's Resolution. They're always crap. And I truly don't know many people who manage to sustain them.

Lose weight

Stop smoking

Work less

They're too specific and they just put all the emphasis on one thing. If you don't immediately see results then most people just give up.

Both of us needed a bit of encouragement and support. So we put our heads together.  I remember that we went with 'Be Positive' and 'Be Brave'. But I can't remember who chose what.

I think I was heading up the L'Oreal account at the time and it was a pressure pot. Everyone on the team was super stressed, so perhaps mine was 'Be Positive'.

And I think Terri was thinking of moving abroad for a period of time, so perhaps hers was 'Be Brave'. Hmmmm.

Anyway it was brilliant. Because you could fit things underneath it. And if you slipped up then you could shake it off and go again.

It made me accountable to myself. I could ask myself, is this helping me 'Be Positive?' And if something that I was undertaking was too much and wasn't giving me the joy I needed in my life then I'd say no. Look for something else.

Each year, since then, I take on a New Year's Statement. Then (every other year except for this year which was just crazy crae cray!) I check my progress.

One year, when I was single, it was 'Be Romantic'. I'm a bit of tomboy (still) and that was good for me. It was good for me to be a bit more feminine and open to taking a more romantic approach to life.

Another year it was 'Be Open' and so rather than saying no to things that were out of my comfort zone I embraced considering them.