How to stick to your New Year's Resolutions

I have a feeling that more people break their New Year's resolutions than actually keep them. A lot of people break their resolutions on the first day of the New Year. If you are anything like me, you are probably thinking I have done that before. But, with a few tips and tricks, you can be one of the few who follow through with their commitment to change their lives for the better this year.

First, be realistic. You are just setting yourself up for failure if you make the goal to lose 50 pounds by April. Choose goals that you can actually achieve and ones that won't discourage you so much that you quit outright. Instead of telling yourself that you will cut out all sugar starting Jan 1st, say that you want to reduce your daily intake by half in time for Easter. If you it your mark you will feel so much better about yourself and that will give you more confidence to keep up the good the good work throughout the new year.

Second, be positive. Keeping a New Year's resolution will always be easier to accomplish if the resolution is something positive. Rather than saying you'll cut out all fast food, make it a goal to improve your diet. Don't say that you'll lose weight, but that you'll exercise more. 

Third, get support. You will have more success when you enlist the help of others, whether it's a spouse, sibling, friend or coworker. Set the goal together, and check in with each other often. Never criticize or belittle any failures the other has. Instead, motivate each other and provide encouragement.

Fourth, allow for failure. There will be times when you falter and blow it. Whether you skip a whole week at the gym or just haven't make progress on cleaning out the garage, there are things in life that get in the way. Don't let failure derail you; instead just accept the error, try to prevent it from happening again and get back on track. The worst thing you can do is give up.

Last but not least, reward yourself. As you make progress toward your goal, determine any rewards and incentives. If your goal was to reduce time watching television, reward yourself after two successful months by splurging on a few good books. Or, celebrate those recently lost pounds with a shopping spree.

Odd Christmas gifts for the person who has everything

Do you have a "hard to buy for" person on your gift list? Sometimes when we don't know what to buy for someone we end up getting them some kind of impersonal, generic gift such as a fruit cake. Now I know there are people who actually like fruit cake, but even then, if we are going to get one for them we should know exactly which kind they like because all fruit cakes are not created equal. Instead of a wasting money on something you know they wont enjoy,  why not get them something fun and unusual?

 

Something that the person who has everything doesn't have...nothing!
http://www.amazon.com/Gift-Nothing-orders-placed-December/dp/B006ILFTHO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1355844546&sr=8-2&keywords=the+nothing+gift

Start them young
http://www.amazon.com/Gift-Nothing-orders-placed-December/dp/B006ILFTHO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1355844546&sr=8-2&keywords=the+nothing+gift

Always misplacing your guitar pics?
http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/pick-punch?9gtype=search&9gkw=make%20guitar%20picks&9gad=8932577217&gclid=CJDQnIqjpLQCFYqZ4Aod9SgAvg





For the social fobic friend in your life
http://www.geekosystem.com/like-hug-vest/

Forget the fur coat.
http://craftastrophe.net/2008/11/nothing-says-i-love-you-like-dead-tree-rat/

 

How much fun would it be to see what your pet is up to when your gone?
http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/ngs/product/photography/cameras/national-geographic-pet%27s-eye-view-camera?code=SR60001

For the Treki fan in your life
http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/e578/

Is it a bear or a lamp?
http://www.suck.uk.com/products/teddybearlamp/

Fun for the whole family

http://www.kmart.com/search=I%20Am%20T-Pain%20Microphone%20-%20Gold?catalogId=10104&autoRedirect=false&storeId=10151&yikes_prod=1588493

 

It Just wouldnt Feel Like Christmas Without the Family Christmas Card

The First Christmas Card

The first commercial Christmas card was commissioned by Henry Cole in 1843. He ordered 1000 copies of the card designed by John C Horsley which depict a family enjoying a festive drink together; Religious greetings cards came some years later. The cards were advertised for sale in the Athenaeum newspaper and cost 6 pennies each thus making them a very expensive luxury item. The card was described in the advert as 'Just published. A Christmas Congratulation Card: or picture emblematic of Old English Festivity to Perpetuate kind recollections between Dear Friends.'
www.postalheritage.org.uk

Three of the remaining eighteen cards from the first batch produced by Henry Cole were auctioned by Sotheby's in New York In December 2011 One card was sold for $10,500, another one sold for $4,250 and the card bearing the design pictured above sold for $7,000.
http://bit.ly/HfTRVj

How cute and festive and tasteful this first Christmas card was.  We have come a long way since then....

I think he disagrees



National Geo-Graphic Violence



What was this family thinking?



Where's the pinata

Rudolph the red nosed....

Wow at least it's creative

Ok a barbershop

Rudolph, you'll go down in history as the most-beat-up kid in class after these go out

At least they look happy

They gave all their clothes to charity this year

Apple of their eye

They're cat people

In Memory of the 27 lives that were taken in Newtown, Connecticut

Jessica Rekos, 6

Benjamin Wheeler, 6

Rachel DAvino, 29

Jack Pinto, 6

James Mattioli, 6

Jesse Lewis, 6

Grace McDonnell, 7

Dylan Hockley, 6

Josephine Gay, 7

Noah Pozner, 6

Daniel Barden, 7

Chase Kowalski, 7

Charlotte Bacon, 6

Catherine Hubbard, 6

Caroline Previdi, 6

Aviella Richman, 6

Olivia Rose Engel, 6

Emilie Parker, 6

Ana Marquez-Greene, 6

Anne Marie Murphy, 52

Mary Sherlach, 56

Dawn Hochsprung, 47

Victoria Soto, 27

Lauren Rousseau, 30

Teardrops are falling. We embrace this sad day.
20 sweet little children have passed away.
So perfect their spirit, so perfect their love,
So perfect a gift from heaven above.

There’s nothing in this world
that brings such happiness,
as that of a dear sweet child,
to hold, love, and caress.

As one comes into our family
there is no greater joy.
It matters not the gender,
baby girl or baby boy.

There’s nothing in this world
that brings such heartfelt sorrow,
as to have them in your life one day
and find them gone tomorrow.

At the loss of a little child
we must have faith, love, and trust
in God, our Heavenly Father,
who gave the child to us.

Love for the gift He gave us.
Trust in His wisdom divine,
and faith we’ll hold our child again
in a better place, at a better time.

 



Fashin Forward Friday: Christmas Party Edition

Christmas parties are around the corner and it is a struggle for so many of us every year to decide what to wear. Is this dress ok, or is it too much? Can I wear these sparkles or do I look like a disco ball? My boss is going to be there so my dress shouldn’t be too tight or short... And so on and so on. So I decided to give you a little inspiration when deciding what to wear to that certain soirée.

When choosing an outfit for your company Christmas party, you have to consider a variety of factors including if the event is formal or black tie, its location and time of day. You want to dress up, but not wear anything too sexy.,Once you have found the perfect dress, you can experiment with accessories. Here are some fabulous ideas for what to wear to your company Christmas party.

Red Heels or a Little Red Dress or Anything red for that matter

Get in the Christmas spirit by wearing red. Red accessories can add a blast of color to any outfit. Choose from red jewelry, handbags, belts, shoes and other red accessories.

You can never really go wrong with a LRD.

kurtgeiger.com

warehouse.co.uk

mango.com

net-a-porter.com

If reds not your color but you feel festive, wear a gold mini dress.

misselfridge.com

Beaded Clutch

Of course you will need a fabulous bag. Select a clutch that is small but not so small that it can't hold your keys, cellphone, a compact and lipstick.



jigsaw-online.com

Fur Cape

When the weather is chilly, you don't want to put on a thick jacket when dressing up. Instead, consider splurging on an evening cape. A cape is dramatic and sophisticated.

tedbaker.com

For a casual house party or a girls night out, dress up your jeans with a blazer or wear a pair of skinny pants , or a pencil skirt worn with a festive sweater and finish the look with a pair of kitten heels.

moschino.com

tedbaker.com

tedbaker.com

net-a-porter.com

The most important thing to remember when you are getting ready for a Christmas party is to have fun. So tree!