Make your Resolutions a Reality - WLTZ 38 | Columbus Georgia Regional News & Community

By Susan Hendricks (CNN) Ringing in the New Year is a time of celebration and renewed hope, and with that often comes a set of new resolutions.

But sticking to those goals takes a bit of planning.

It's easy to make New Year's resolutions, but can you keep them? Absolutely, if you're smart with your planning  and can handle setbacks. The first rule of thumb, be specific. Don't just say, I want to lose weight or handle money better, for example.
"Those are too general. I think you have to be specific. I want to lose ten pounds, I want to save two thousand dollars this year. So the more specific, the more likely you will meet that goal."

Second, be realistic about what you can accomplish. It's very hard for people to lose 100 pounds in a year. Set out to do what is attainable. Next, you need a plan. If you want to slim down and get fit,  you might set a goal of working out three days a week and decreasing portion sizes.   
"Things aren't going to change because you want them to. They're going to change because you're going to change behaviors."  

And you need to have short term goals.

"A year is too long. Set a goal for a week, for two weeks at most. Then see how you're doing."

And the best glue to help resolutions stick may be resilience.  

"You have to expect a setback and get right back on track. The goal is progress toward your goal, not perfection." And try to make just one or two resolutions a year. More than that may be a recipe for failure.