Standing Ovation!

This morning the gym parking lot was crammed with the cars of "New Year Resolutioners." My hat is off to everyone who has the fortitude to reprogram the old brain stem, yet one more time. I myself had downloaded a new goal program into my android phone called The Habit Factor, and listed eight new habits to track this year.

There is something encouraging about beginning again, when we resolve to do just a little bit better than last year!

One thing I have discovered about overcoming old habits and replacing them with better ones, is the age old idea of accountability. If I report to you and you report to me on our own goals at an appointed time, and we keep our appointment regularly we are both more likely to accomplish our goals.

My most effective use of this was to combine a reward and punishment with accountability.

If I did as I promised that I would do, I gave myself a reward, and if I didn't I set up for myself a punishment. For example, money in the travel kitty for fun, vs. washing and vacuuming out the car of my goal buddy if I didn't make it. There were many times just the thought of having to do that unsavory chore kept me in check.

Good luck on your quest to become a better than ever member of the human family! You deserve a standing ovation!